DDN
6/20
Steelers' Holmes Pleads Not Guilty
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of assaulting a woman, his second arrest since he was chosen in the first round of the NFL draft.
The 22-year-old former Ohio State star was arrested at an apartment just after midnight Monday on charges of domestic violence and simple assault, both misdemeanors, Sgt. Loucious Hollis said.
(enlarge photo)
This photo released by Franklin County Sheriff's Office Monday, June 19, 2006 shows Pittsburgh Steelers' Santonio Holmes. The Steelers wide receiver was charged Monday with domestic violence and assaulting a woman, police said, in Columbus, Ohio. This is his second arrest since being taken in the first round of the NFL draft in April. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff's Office)
Holmes was released from the Franklin County jail on his own recognizance later on Monday after a brief court appearance. No trial date has been set.
"He's wrongly accused of domestic violence and assault," said Holmes' attorney, Sam Shamansky. "I'm confident as this case works its way through the system it'll be successfully resolved. He'll just continue to do what he does with a passion, and that's play football."
Police spokesman Sgt. Michael Woods said police received a call from a woman who said the father of her child had assaulted her. While the officers were making their report at the apartment, Holmes returned and was arrested without incident.
Police would not release the woman's name or details about what Holmes was accused of doing. Shamansky also declined to give the woman's name but said she was the mother of Holmes' 18-week-old daughter.
Before the draft, Holmes said he was hopeful that he would go high in the draft so he could support his three children.
The Steelers did not return a message seeking comment.
Holmes, a native of Belle Glade, Fla., was arrested previously in Miami Beach, Fla., on a charge of disorderly conduct during a Memorial Day weekend crackdown by local authorities.
Steelers coach Bill Cowher criticized Holmes the following week, but said he wouldn't hold the incident against the receiver.
"Whatever he did wrong, I don't think he handled it properly," Cowher said then. "I think he'll learn from it and understand the scrutiny he's under. We have not talked face to face about it. I don't have any long-term concerns."
Holmes, red-shirted as a freshman when Ohio State won the national championship, led the Buckeyes in receiving last season with 53 catches for 977 yards and 11 touchdowns. He gave up his final season of eligibility to make himself available for the draft.
ABJ
6/20
Steelers' Holmes pleads not guilty
RUSTY MILLER
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of assaulting a woman, his second arrest since he was chosen in the first round of the NFL draft.
The 22-year-old former Ohio State star was arrested at an apartment just after midnight Monday on charges of domestic violence and simple assault, both misdemeanors, Sgt. Loucious Hollis said.
Holmes was released from the Franklin County jail on his own recognizance later on Monday after a brief court appearance. No trial date has been set.
"He's wrongly accused of domestic violence and assault," said Holmes' attorney, Sam Shamansky. "I'm confident as this case works its way through the system it'll be successfully resolved. He'll just continue to do what he does with a passion, and that's play football."
Police spokesman Sgt. Michael Woods said police received a call from a woman who said the father of her child had assaulted her. While the officers were making their report at the apartment, Holmes returned and was arrested without incident.
Police would not release the woman's name or details about what Holmes was accused of doing. Shamansky also declined to give the woman's name but said she was the mother of Holmes' 18-week-old daughter.
Before the draft, Holmes said he was hopeful that he would go high in the draft so he could support his three children.
The Steelers did not return a message seeking comment.
Holmes, a native of Belle Glade, Fla., was arrested previously in Miami Beach, Fla., on a charge of disorderly conduct during a Memorial Day weekend crackdown by local authorities.
Steelers coach Bill Cowher criticized Holmes the following week, but said he wouldn't hold the incident against the receiver.
"Whatever he did wrong, I don't think he handled it properly," Cowher said then. "I think he'll learn from it and understand the scrutiny he's under. We have not talked face to face about it. I don't have any long-term concerns."
Holmes, red-shirted as a freshman when Ohio State won the national championship, led the Buckeyes in receiving last season with 53 catches for 977 yards and 11 touchdowns. He gave up his final season of eligibility to make himself available for the draft.
Pittsburgh Gazette
6/20
Steelers' Holmes out of jail, awaiting trial date
No. 1 pick from Ohio State arrested on domestic-violence charges in Columbus, Ohio, incident; 2nd run-in with law since he was drafted
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes, the Steelers' 2006 first-round draft pick, was released on a $3,500 recognizance bond yesterday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, after he was arrested just after midnight Sunday on charges of domestic violence and assault, both first-degree misdemeanors, and an outstanding warrant for a minor traffic violation.
He entered a plea of not guilty, and his attorney, Samuel Shamansky, requested a jury trial. No court date has been set.
Reached in Columbus last night, Holmes, a receiver from Ohio State, said, "I'm not taking any calls."
It is Holmes' second run-in with police since he was drafted in April. He was arrested in Miami Beach on a disorderly conduct charge over Memorial Day weekend in a crackdown by authorities there.
According to two Columbus police spokesmen, Holmes, 22, was arrested at an apartment after Columbus police responded to a call from a woman who is the mother of Holmes' youngest child, Shaniya, 4 months.
After talking with the woman, identified as Lashae Boone, police arrested Holmes, who had returned to the apartment while police were taking a report. Holmes was described as cooperative.
According to a police affidavit, the woman said Holmes did "knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to a family or household member ... by means of choking, throwing her to the ground, grabbing her arms and slamming her into a door, leaving her with bruises, pain and a torn shirt."
Shamansky would not comment on specifics of the incident, but said, "Nobody's injured. There were no injuries."
Boone was not taken to a hospital for treatment. She did not return a phone message.
Holmes originally was to be arraigned in Franklin County Court this morning, but that was moved up at the request of Shamansky and the sheriff's department. Holmes appeared in prison khakis and handcuffs before Judge Anne Taylor.
According to Shamansky, Boone was present at the arraignment and requested that Holmes be released.
Holmes did not speak to reporters as he left the court building.
"I think that it's upsetting, but he's doing just fine," Shamansky said of Holmes. "He takes the matter very seriously and looks forward to putting the whole thing behind him."
Holmes' arrest came a week after Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident.
Asked about Holmes' latest arrest during an interview on a national radio show, Steelers coach Bill Cowher said, "I really don't have any details whatsoever, so I really don't want to comment. It's unfortunate that these types of things are making the news. It's not what you want to be doing at this time of year."
The Steelers declined further comment.
Following Holmes' May 27 arrest, Cowher said, "If you look at the details, certainly there were a lot of people over the Memorial Day weekend who were arrested. Whatever he did wrong, I don't think he handled it properly.
"I think he'll learn from it. He'll learn to understand the scrutiny he's under. ... I don't have any long-term concerns. I think he's still a solid individual, and I'm not going to hold that incident against him, even though we will talk about it."
Although Holmes, selected 25th overall in the April draft, has not signed with the Steelers, he is subject to the NFL's personal-conduct policy and could face mandatory counseling or punishment.
While processing Holmes, Columbus police discovered an outstanding warrant for an assured distance violation, a minor traffic misdemeanor that stems from an accident in which a driver is tailgating.
The ticket was issued Oct. 18, 2005, and Holmes failed to show up for court seven days later.
He had one other brush with the law while at Ohio State.
On Nov. 16, 2003 -- the all-important week of the Michigan game -- Holmes and Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith were arrested on disorderly conduct charges following a 3 a.m. fight in a parking lot. They and other teammates apparently were trying to break up a fight among some players' girlfriends.
Holmes, who was a redshirt freshman, was held out of the starting lineup against Michigan but did play. Although Smith was convicted, the charge against Holmes was dropped the following March when a prosecution witness could not identify him.
Dispatch
6/20
Former Buckeye Holmes charged with domestic violence
Associated Press
Monday, June 19, 2006 11:49 AM
GENE J. PUSKAR | AP Santonio Holmes during Steelers mini-camp last month
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes was charged with domestic violence and assaulting a woman early today, police said, his second arrest since being taken in the first round of the NFL draft in April.
Holmes, who starred at Ohio State, was arrested at an apartment just after midnight and taken to the Franklin County jail, Sgt. Loucious Hollis said. Holmes, 22, is scheduled to remain in jail until his arraignment Tuesday on charges of domestic violence and simple assault, both misdemeanors.
Police spokesman Sgt. Michael Woods said police received a call from a female who said the father of her child had assaulted her. While the officers were making their report at the apartment, Holmes returned and was arrested without incident.
Police would not release the woman's name or details about what Holmes was accused of doing.
Before the draft, Holmes said he was hopeful that he would go high in the draft so he could support his three children.
The Steelers did not return a message seeking comment.
Holmes, a native of Belle Glade, Fla., was arrested previously in Miami Beach, Fla., on a charge of disorderly conduct during a Memorial Day weekend crackdown by local authorities.
Steelers coach Bill Cowher criticized Holmes the following week, but said he wouldn't hold the incident against the former Ohio State receiver.
“Whatever he did wrong, I don't think he handled it properly,” Cowher said then. “I think he'll learn from it and understand the scrutiny he's under. We have not talked face to face about it. I don't have any long-term concerns.”
Holmes, who red-shirted as a freshman when Ohio State won the national championship, led the Buckeyes in receiving last season with 53 catches for 977 yards and 11 touchdowns. He gave up his final season of eligibility to make himself available for the draft.
