'Aaron Donald Was On Mr. Spriggs' Side:' Donald's Defense Attorney Claims He Broke Up Fight
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Casey White, defense attorney for Aaron Donald, claims that Donald did not assault DeVincent Spriggs, but actually saved him from further injury.
"Mr. Spriggs should send Aaron a thank you card," Mr. White told KDKA's Andy Sheehan.
WATCH: Surveillance Video Of Incident Involving Aaron Donald
According to Mr. White, five witnesses have said that Donald never touched DeVincent Spriggs.
"Late last night, we got surveillance video that clearly shows that Aaron Donald did not touch Mr. Spriggs," Mr. White said. "In fact, Mr. Spriggs attempted to assault Mr. Donald with a bottle. Swung a bottle at his head, grazed the top of Aaron's head, and at that point in time, other patrons at the party came out onto the street and held Aaron back, and other people came to his defense."
Mr. White told KDKA that once it was clear that Mr. Spriggs was no longer a threat to Donald, and other people were acting in defense of Donald, Donald pulled people off of Mr. Spriggs, sparing him from further injury.
"Aaron is the one who actually broke up the fight," Mr. White said. "He's the one that pulled people off of Mr. Spriggs."
White says the video shows that Donald pulls off two, possibly three people, that were defending Donald from Mr. Spriggs. The video shows a group of men punching and kicking a man on the ground when a person who appears to be Donald intercedes.
SHEEHAN: So you say Mr. Spriggs owes him an apology and a thank you card?
WHITE: A thank you card. It's a shame. He woke up in a hospital room, and I hope he's ok, Aaron doesn't hold any real ill-will toward him. Aaron Donald never touched him.
Police have confirmed to KDKA that the surveillance video has corroborated Mr. White's claim that Donald never touched Mr. Spriggs.
Mr. White told KDKA that he had an email from Pittsburgh Police saying, "I agree thus far there is no evidence from that video that shows Donald assaulting the victim, period."
"Mr. Spriggs should probably write a thank you card to Aaron Donald for helping save him because, at the end of it, Aaron Donald was on Mr. Spriggs' side," White said.
Spriggs' attorney, Todd Hollis, concedes the video does show Donald interceding, but he is not dropping the matter just yet.
"At this time we are in agreement it does appear Mr. Donald was removing an individual from Mr. Spriggs. However, we want to see the entire video We believe these matters are fact driven and it's important police complete their full investigation," Hollis said in a statement to KDKA.
Police told KDKA they are still reviewing the video and other evidence and will not comment until the investigation is complete.