Texans’ Jimmie Ward Won’t Be Indicted by Grand Jury
A grand jury in Montgomery County, Texas, has determined not to indict Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward following his arrest on suspicion of third-degree domestic violence. The jury did not find probable cause to believe that Ward committed the alleged crimes against the woman involved in the incident.Ward is currently on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, due to his arrest on June 12 at his home in Magnolia, Texas, for alleged domestic violence. While on the list, Ward cannot practice or attend games. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy stated that the league continues to monitor all developments in the case, which remains under review. Ward’s lawyer, Steve Jackson, expects his client to be able to get off the exempt list next week. In a statement, Jackson thanked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the Texans organization “for believing in Jimmie and allowing all the facts to come to light without rushing to judgment.”I can finally move on.
Jimmie Ward
The woman alleged that on the morning of the arrest she was “violently assaulted on multiple occasions, both sexually and physically” by Ward in the presence of her 3-year-old son. She managed to escape, run out of the house, and call the police. Ward was also arrested on August 7 for violating his release conditions, which included not consuming alcohol, something he claimed he was unaware of. He tested positive for alcohol and had to spend the night in jail. The woman filed a lawsuit against Ward in the Harris County District Court, Texas, on August 21, seeking compensation of more than $20 million.We believe that not only was he exonerated by the grand jury, but the grand jury’s actions demonstrate that Jimmie was in fact innocent.
Steve Jackson
