Former ESPN commentator Jay Mariotti pleads not guilty to stalking, assaulting ex-girfriend
By
Camille Mann
/ CBS News
Jay Mariotti
CBS/WBBM
(CBS/WBBM/AP) LOS ANGELES - Former ESPN commentator Jay Mariotti has pleaded not guilty to stalking and assaulting his former girlfriend.
The alleged victim is the same woman Mariotti pleaded no contest to battering in a separate case last year.
Mariotti, a former Chicago Sun Times sports columnist, entered not guilty pleas Wednesday to three felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a domestic court order, officials said.
Prosecutors said Mariotti argued with his former girlfriend outside a Venice, Calif. restaurant April 15, where he allegedly pulled out a chunk of her hair and grabbed her cell phone while shouting at her, reports CBS affiliate WBBM.
"These allegations are complete fabrications, made by an accuser who,
since October of last year, has doggedly tried to have Mr. Marriotti
arrested and charged on numerous past occasions without success,"
Mariotti's lawyer Shawn Holley said in a statement.
If convicted, Mariotti faces up to five years in state prison. His next
court date for the April incident is June 1.
Mariotti was previously accused over a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend at a restaurant Sept. 30, 2010 - for which he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Former ESPN commentator Jay Mariotti pleads not guilty to stalking, assaulting ex-girfriend
By Camille Mann
/ CBS News
(CBS/WBBM/AP) LOS ANGELES - Former ESPN commentator Jay Mariotti has pleaded not guilty to stalking and assaulting his former girlfriend.
The alleged victim is the same woman Mariotti pleaded no contest to battering in a separate case last year.
Mariotti, a former Chicago Sun Times sports columnist, entered not guilty pleas Wednesday to three felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a domestic court order, officials said.
Prosecutors said Mariotti argued with his former girlfriend outside a Venice, Calif. restaurant April 15, where he allegedly pulled out a chunk of her hair and grabbed her cell phone while shouting at her, reports CBS affiliate WBBM.
"These allegations are complete fabrications, made by an accuser who, since October of last year, has doggedly tried to have Mr. Marriotti arrested and charged on numerous past occasions without success," Mariotti's lawyer Shawn Holley said in a statement.
If convicted, Mariotti faces up to five years in state prison. His next court date for the April incident is June 1.
Mariotti was previously accused over a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend at a restaurant Sept. 30, 2010 - for which he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Complete Coverage of Jay Mariotti on Crimesider
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