Trial of Steelers' running back, Davenport, continues

Apr/04/08 05:50 PM Filed in: Najeh Davenport
NajehDavenport
Cleveland prosecutors today said Pittsburgh Steeler Najeh Davenport slammed the mother of his child to the ground, hit her and tried to choke her after a custody dispute in October. They said he stopped only when some youths surrounded him.

Davenport's attorney, Patrick D'Angelo, said Davenport did not hit the child's mother, Anita Person, whom he called a "drama queen.'' He said photos showed that Person lacked any marks on her face and neck.

The trial is expected to take two or three days in Cleveland Municipal Court. Davenport is accused of several misdemeanors, including domestic violence, child endangering and unlawful restraint.

If convicted, Davenport could be suspended by the National Football League for as much as four games without pay. Last year, Davenport earned $1 million from the Steelers, according to USA Today database of player salaries.

Prosecutors said Davenport drove from Pittsburgh to Cleveland on Oct. 4 to pick up his son, Najeh Jr, for a weekend visit.

They claim that Davenport told Person that she would never see her son again. That prompted Person to open Davenport's Range Rover as he was pulling away. She grabbed the child and began leaving when Davenport confronted her.

Prosecutors said he slapped Person, slammed her to the ground and tried to choke her. Neighborhood witnesses yelled for him to stop, and some youths playing basketball at a nearby court came to see what was going on.

D'Angelo said pictures of the woman showed no injuries. He said Davenport is a 6-foot-2, 260-pound running back, and if he did what prosecutors said, the woman would have suffered serious injuries.

(plaindealer.com)