Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty to charges of domestic violence in Los Angeles County on Wednesday.
Los Angeles (dpa) – Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to Los Angeles County prosecutors’ charges of domestic violence after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children.
District Attorney George Gascón announced Tuesday that his office has filed one charge of harming a parent of a child and two charges of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to result in serious bodily harm or death.
Bridges has pleaded not guilty during an indictment, the prosecutor’s office said.
Bridges was arrested by Los Angeles police on June 29 and later released on $130,000 bail.
Both the Hornets and the NBA said they were aware of the charges against Bridges.
“These are very serious allegations that we will continue to monitor,” the Hornets said. “As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
#hornets Statement on Miles Bridges: pic.twitter.com/OQqwYx3H0N
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) July 20, 2022
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges’ two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram on July 1, posting multiple images of injuries and a medical report that read: “Adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; attack by strangulation, concussion; Closed fracture of the nasal bone; crushing of the rib; Multiple bruises; Neck muscle strain.”
“I hate that it has come to this, but I can no longer remain silent. I allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in any way they could, and traumatize our children for life,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won’t let someone who could do something so horrible be unrepentant and paint a picture of something I’m not. I will not allow the people around him to keep silencing me and keep lying to protect that person.”
Bridges, 24, is a restricted free agent who was expected to command big bucks in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets have presented Bridges with a qualifying offer that gives them the opportunity to match any other team’s offer sheet. The team had indicated before learning of Bridges’ arrest that they wanted to re-sign him.
