Arrest warrant issued for Odell Beckham Jr. after locker room butt slap; Browns release statement
In the video, an officer is admonishing LSU right guard Damien Lewis after the team beat Clemson for college football's national championship title.
At the end of the video, Beckham appeared to hit the officer on his buttocks.
Team members were smoking victory cigars in the locker room, and reports said an officer told the players that anyone caught smoking was subject to arrest.
Another officer later stepped in to tell players it was OK to smoke in the locker room, according to an AL.com report, and nobody was arrested and the party continued.
A law enforcement source said authorities originally sought a warrant for a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, but it was declined by a judge. The warrant was redrafted asserting a count of simple battery, and it was approved.
Police said they began the investigation after the Superdome reached out to them on Tuesday.
The difference between the crimes is not insignificant.
Louisiana law defines misdemeanor sexual battery as the intentional touching of the breasts or buttocks of a victim who did not consent to the contact. While it carries a maximum of six months in jail, it is relatively more serious than other misdemeanors because it is not expungeable in the event of a conviction.
Louisiana law defines simple battery as "battery committed without the consent of the victim." That crime, upon conviction, calls for up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000. It is also expungeable for first-time offenders.
The Cleveland Browns released a statement on the situation, saying they are aware of the warrant.
"We are aware of the incident and have been in touch with Odell and his representatives on the matter," the statement read. "They are cooperating with the proper authorities to appropriately address the situation."
Statement regarding Odell Beckham Jr. incident:
At LSU, Beckham helped the Tigers make it to the 2011 national championship game as a freshman. Coincidentally, that game was at the Superdome, and the Tigers lost to Alabama.
The New York Giants later selected Beckham in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He developed a huge fan following in the Big Apple. He left the Giants and joined the Cleveland Browns before the beginning of the past NFL season.
Besides his penchant for big plays, he?s developed a reputation for having an unpredictable and mercurial personality.
Thursday?s arrest warrant is one of two controversies in which he was involved after LSU invited him to their sideline and into their locker room when they beat Clemson for the national championship game Monday night at the Superdome.
The other involved a video depicting him giving cash to players on the field after the game ended.
LSU?s athletic department said it is unclear whether that money was novelty bills that were found on the field or actual, real cash. University athletic officials said they were working with both the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference over the controversy.
Source: https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_16e90c06-387e-11ea-ba52-c35714f1e4cc.html
In the video, an officer is admonishing LSU right guard Damien Lewis after the team beat Clemson for college football's national championship title.
At the end of the video, Beckham appeared to hit the officer on his buttocks.
Team members were smoking victory cigars in the locker room, and reports said an officer told the players that anyone caught smoking was subject to arrest.
Another officer later stepped in to tell players it was OK to smoke in the locker room, according to an AL.com report, and nobody was arrested and the party continued.
A law enforcement source said authorities originally sought a warrant for a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, but it was declined by a judge. The warrant was redrafted asserting a count of simple battery, and it was approved.
Police said they began the investigation after the Superdome reached out to them on Tuesday.
The difference between the crimes is not insignificant.
Louisiana law defines misdemeanor sexual battery as the intentional touching of the breasts or buttocks of a victim who did not consent to the contact. While it carries a maximum of six months in jail, it is relatively more serious than other misdemeanors because it is not expungeable in the event of a conviction.
Louisiana law defines simple battery as "battery committed without the consent of the victim." That crime, upon conviction, calls for up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000. It is also expungeable for first-time offenders.
The Cleveland Browns released a statement on the situation, saying they are aware of the warrant.
"We are aware of the incident and have been in touch with Odell and his representatives on the matter," the statement read. "They are cooperating with the proper authorities to appropriately address the situation."
Statement regarding Odell Beckham Jr. incident:
At LSU, Beckham helped the Tigers make it to the 2011 national championship game as a freshman. Coincidentally, that game was at the Superdome, and the Tigers lost to Alabama.
The New York Giants later selected Beckham in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He developed a huge fan following in the Big Apple. He left the Giants and joined the Cleveland Browns before the beginning of the past NFL season.
Besides his penchant for big plays, he?s developed a reputation for having an unpredictable and mercurial personality.
Thursday?s arrest warrant is one of two controversies in which he was involved after LSU invited him to their sideline and into their locker room when they beat Clemson for the national championship game Monday night at the Superdome.
The other involved a video depicting him giving cash to players on the field after the game ended.
LSU?s athletic department said it is unclear whether that money was novelty bills that were found on the field or actual, real cash. University athletic officials said they were working with both the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference over the controversy.
Source: https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_16e90c06-387e-11ea-ba52-c35714f1e4cc.html
