Over the weekend, Cleveland Browns' rookie Quinshon Judkins found himself on the wrong side of the law. According to NBC Miami, Judkins, a former standout at Ohio State, was arrested in Broward County on charges of battery and domestic battery following an alleged dispute that is said to have transpired last Monday, yet was only reported several days later.
During yesterday's court appearance, Judkins' attorney raised questions about the timing of the report and the circumstances surrounding the injuries, as described in the arrest affidavit. "It appears, according to the arrest affidavit, (they) have injuries, but I’m not sure when those injuries occurred, when they took place," the attorney stated. This ordeal unfolds as Judkins—a second-round pick in the recent NFL draft—has yet to sign a contract with the Browns and now faces a troubling legal matter instead. The judge seeing the case found probable cause, set the bond at $2,500, and mandated that Judkins not have contact with the victim nor access to firearms, as per NBC Miami.
The Browns organization, in a response to the events, have taken a stance of informed caution. The team released a statement explaining that they are "aware of Judkins' arrest and 'gathering more information' about the incident." Despite the circumspect approach publicly, this situation undoubtedly sends ripples through their pre-season preparations, casting a shadow on the touted arrival of their so-called rising star running back, as drafted just a few months prior, as detailed by CBS News Miami.
The nature of the alleged incident, the motivation of the report, and the details of the injuries remain under contention. "They came down here as friends and then after the incident, which she claims occurred on the 7th when they were leaving the airport, she then went on to stay with the defendant in Fort Lauderdale for five more days, celebrated her birthday they was some type of spectacle that she was involved in and it wasn’t until after that, that she made this after the fact report," Judkins' attorney argued during the court hearing. NBC Miami notes that Fort Lauderdale Police responded to a "delayed battery" call last Saturday morning and, after preliminary investigations, arrested Judkins and charged him accordingly.
