Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry will not be facing charges for a domestic violence incident that took place between himself and the mother of his child,  Estrella Cerqueira, back in April. The court of public opinion, however, may feel differently.
On Thursday, TMZ Sports released footage of the altercation. While police blurred their faces, it is clear that Landry forcibly pushed Cerqueira back into their car. According to TMZ, their four-month-old child was sitting in the back seat at the time.
Later in the video it appears that Landry attempted to slap Cerqueira, but police say that in the raw version of the tape it is clear that he did not slap her and was only reaching for a cell phone that she was holding.
The wide receiver first found himself in hot water for the incident that his representative called “incidental contact” when Cerqueira told police that he had battered her. Landry denied the claims from the start, saying he had never battered her but that she had “hit my body” before getting back into their car. Cerqueira later change her claim, saying that she had “exaggerated” the facts.
The Pro Bowler spoke about the incident in August, saying that he had helped officials with the investigation.
“I’ve been upfront with the team,” Landry told reporters. “I’ve been upfront with the law enforcement. Hopefully, this gets resolved in a timely fashion.”
In late September, the Florida Sate Attorneys office announced that Landry would not be facing charges for the incident and back in October, the NFL confirmed that Landry was not at risk of facing discipline under the leagues Personal Conduct Policy. It is unclear whether or not the NFL was aware of the video when they claimed there was “insufficient evidence” to pursue the incident.
Landry has been a bright spot on the field this season with 61 receptions for 472 yards and five touchdowns in nine games. Unfortunately, it seems he may be one of the dark spots in a season that has been filled with off-field distraction.
