Custody Battle Leads To Release Of Ray McDonald Case Video
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – The woman at the center of the domestic violence case against former San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald has released stunning photos of injuries she allegedly suffered at the hands of the former NFL star.
She also released a cell phone video of an alleged incident in 2015 where she tearfully begs McDonald to leave her alone.
McDonald was arrested in the May 2015 incident on domestic violence and felony false imprisonment charges, but a grand jury didn't indict him. The charges were later dropped.
On the video of the alleged 4 a.m. confrontation between McDonald and his ex-finance inside the bedroom of a home in Santa Clara, she continually asks the former 49ers to leave her alone.
"Please get away from me Ray," the woman says repeatedly, her emotions mounting with each request.
"You are in here acting crazy," she said. "What are you doing? I was sleeping in here with Amari [their son] and you come in here and act like this. This is crazy."
At the end of the clip, she begins to scream as sounds of an altercation can be heard.
The woman's attorney, Robin Yeamans, told KPIX 5 it was the most frightening video she has even seen.
"I find that video one of the most horrifying I've seen in 46 years of practicing law," she said.
Yeamans also shared pictures of bruises on her client's face and legs she claimed were the product of abuse at the hands of McDonald.
"She [the alleged victim] just wanted to document what her condition… but there were many, many other occasions when he had bruised her," the attorney said.
Yeamans said her client made the videos and took the photos so people who believe her claims against McDonald.
"It was self-defense," the attorney said. "The fact is battered women are simply not believed if they don't have videos. If they don't have photos."
The couple is currently in a custody battle over their son and Yeamans is representing the woman in those proceedings. This week, Yeamans and her client are asking the court for an emergency suspension of visitation rights between McDonald and his son, partly over concerns the mother has regarding McDonald's dog which has a history of violence.
She said they had decided to release the video and the photos to aid in that legal battle.
"There's a certain worship of a sports celebrity that can't be mistaken," Yeamans said.
McDonald has not commented on the video or the photos.
The San Francisco 49ers released McDonald in Dec. 2015 after a series of off-the-field incidents. He then signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears, only to be released after his May 25, 2015 arrest.
McDonald is due in court next month in a separate case.
He was indicted last year in the alleged rape of an intoxicated woman at his home back in December of 2014.
McDonald's attorney is trying to suppress cell phone video and surveillance video from the night of that incident.
