Chiefs’ Larry Johnson faces simple-assault charge

[Hammock Parties]

Yay! This is perfect timing.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/839836.html

Chiefs’ Larry Johnson faces simple-assault charge

For the third time since becoming a Chief, running back Larry Johnson is in a scrape with the law.

Johnson faces a December date in Kansas City Municipal Court on a charge of simple assault. The municipal violation, filed early last month, stemmed from an incident on Feb. 24, 2008, in which a 26-year-old woman accused Johnson, 28, of using his open hand to push the left side of her head, according to court and police documents obtained by The Kansas City Star.

According to the court records, the incident purportedly occurred at 2:15 a.m. at a nightclub at 3832 Main St.

A police report supporting the charge alleged that the woman and a friend were walking through the club when Johnson moved through the crowd toward them and pushed the woman, saying, “… don’t touch me.”

The alleged victim then replied, “I didn’t touch you,” according to the report.

“Then another friend at the club stated that was Larry Johnson, a football player for the Chiefs,” the police report stated. “She notified the security guards at the club, and they did nothing.”

The woman does not have a listed telephone number and could not be reached for comment Monday.

The Chiefs also had no comment, and Johnson had left the locker room when reporters entered after practice.

Johnson’s lawyer, Kevin E.J. Regan, said Monday that his client had done nothing inappropriate and expects to be vindicated at trial.

Regan said an intoxicated woman did throw herself at Johnson that night but was restrained by security. He said his investigation also shows she did not make any complaints to the management, security officers or police, who were at the club that night. And even after she reported the incident to police 11 hours later, police observed no injuries, Regan said.

The charge came more than six months after the alleged assault because the investigation was worked around other, more pressing assault cases, said Capt. Rich Lockhart, a police spokesman.

The woman spoke with police officers about 11 hours after the alleged assault, and her friend corroborated her account. She then picked Johnson out of a photo lineup on June 6. Detectives then had trouble locating the witness, who finally was interviewed in late July or August, Lockhart said. Police spoke with Johnson a month or so later, and he signed the ticket.

Regan said he found the photo lineup troublesome.

“One has to question the fairness of a lineup shown six months later, involving someone whose photograph is published often in the media,” Regan said.

If convicted, Johnson could be sentenced to up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.

Johnson emerged from his two prior legal incidents without convictions. In 2003, he was accused of aggravated assault and misdemeanor domestic battery for allegedly brandishing a gun during an argument with a former girlfriend.

Those charges were dropped the following year after he agreed to enter a domestic-violence diversion program.

In 2005, a woman accused Johnson of pulling her to the exit of a nightspot on the Country Club Plaza and pushing her to the floor after an argument.

That woman later changed her story and insisted that she did not want to press charges against Johnson. Prosecutors dropped the assault charge after she missed three court hearings.

According to a municipal court spokesman, Johnson is scheduled to appear on the charges at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3.