Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that former ESPN personality and Chicago Sun-Times writer Jay Mariotti has been charged with three felonies after he confronted his ex-girlfriend the same day a court ordered him to stay away from her, according to prosecutors.
The lawyer for Mariotti called the newest allegations “complete fabrications.”
Mariotti was in court Wednesday and he pleaded not guilty to the charges: stalking, corporal injury on a spouse or domestic partner, and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. The Times Said if he’s convicted, he faces up to five years in state prison.
The latest charges stem from an April incident with the accuser.
In addition to confronting his ex-girlfriend at a restaurant Sept. 30 — the day he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence — prosecutors said he argued with his former girlfriend again outside of a Venice restaurant April 15. He allegedly pulled a chunk of her hair out and grabbed her cellphone, while shouting at her, prosecutors said.
As part of a deal reached in the original case with the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, six other misdemeanor counts against Mariotti were dismissed — four domestic-violence-related counts, grand theft and false imprisonment.
The Times said Mariotti avoided jail time in the earlier case and was instead placed on three years’ probation. He also was ordered to perform 40 days of community service, complete a 52-week domestic violence course and stay away from the victim. He could face county jail time for violating probation.
In a statement, Mariotti’s lawyer Shawn Holley disputed and dismissed the accusers’ allegations.
“These allegations are complete fabrications, made by an accuser who, since October of last year, has doggedly tried to have Mr. Marriotti arrested and charged on numerous past occasions without success.”
“We look forward to our day in court, where these outrageous falsehoods will be exposed as the lies that they are,” she said.
STORY BY: STEVE COOGAN, USA TODAY