A judge has dropped all charges against former New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis stemming from an alleged assault in Pittsburgh last month.
Pittsburgh Municipal Court Judge Jeffrey A. Manning dismissed the five criminal charges after hearing testimony from Rashawn Bolton, Revis' longtime friend, during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Bolton testified he came to Revis' aid and knocked out two men who allegedly were in a physical altercation with the seven-time Pro Bowler during a Feb. 12 incident on a Pittsburgh street. Bolton also testified that it was his voice which is heard on a video released by TMZ last month showing the immediate aftermath of the altercation.
"What happened is in the past now and all I can do is move forward," Revis told NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala after the hearing concluded.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told NFL.com that the incident remains under review as part of the league's personal conduct policy.
"Darrelle Revis is a peaceful, quiet, private individual and a law-abiding citizen," Robert Del Greco Jr., Revis' attorney, told reporters after the hearing. "A neutral, detached, disinterested judge determined that there isn't even probable cause for this case to warrant further trial consideration.
"There is no reason these charges should have been brought."
Bolton's attorney told Kinkhabwala there was no financial incentive for his client to testify about his role in the incident. Bolton did not speak to reporters when he left the courthouse.
Revis was initially charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor. According to the criminal complaint compiled by the Pittsburgh Police Dept., the two victims said they were knocked unconscious following a physical and verbal confrontation with Revis and another man (later identified as Bolton), although they couldn't remember who punched them.
A friend of the two victims who witnessed the incident told police the men were unconscious "for at least 10 minutes." When asked by police if Revis or Bolton was responsible for knocking out his friends, the witness said, "I don't know, it happened so fast."
One of the men who was knocked out was diagnosed with an orbital floor fracture and the other was diagnosed with a contusion to his cheek.
Revis is currently a free agent after the Jets released him. Jets coach Todd Bowles said Revis' arrest wasn't a factor in the team's decision to cut him. The Jets still owe him $6 million.
