New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis turned himself in to Pittsburgh police Friday to face charges in connection with an altercation last weekend in the city's South Side neighborhood, authorities said.
Revis, 31, a native of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, faces two counts of aggravated assault, one count of felony robbery, one count of conspiracy and one count of making terroristic threats.
He was arraigned Friday night and granted non-monetary bond with several conditions, including no contact with witnesses and victims and the surrender of his passport. Revis' preliminary hearing is set for Thursday.
Pittsburgh police said officers were called at 2:43 a.m. Sunday for a report of two men who had been knocked unconscious.
According to the investigation, Dallas Cousins, 22, from Kittanning, Pennsylvania, was walking along East Carson Street when he spotted a man who resembled Revis. The man told police that he asked if the man was Revis, and Revis confirmed that he was.
The man began recording the interaction on his cellphone and continued following Revis, police said. At some point, Revis snatched the cellphone away and attempted to delete the video, according to authorities.
Zacheriah Jarvis, 21, from Ross Township, Pennsylvania, attempted to help Cousins retrieve the cellphone, and Revis tossed it onto the roadway, police said.
Authorities said a verbal argument followed and a fourth man came to assist Revis. Both Cousins and Jarvis told officers that they were punched and then remember waking up to talk to police.
Witnesses said the two men were unconscious for about 10 minutes.
Lisa Huston, who owns South Side’s White Eagle bar, said she heard a commotion outside early Sunday and saw two men lying on the sidewalk.
“I heard a commotion outside, ran to window, looked out front and saw legs,” she said. “There was two young boys … completely knocked out, side-by-side, right on my corner.”
Pittsburgh police said they viewed the cellphone video recorded by Cousins and confirmed that the person involved in the altercation was Revis.
Blaine Jones, who represented Revis prior to his surrender, said the two men were taunting Revis while he was visiting a place in the South Side that he is developing. He said Revis allegedly told the men he played football and that he didn’t want any trouble.
"He was not the aggressor that night. He was 1,000 percent the victim. He tried to retreat. He did everything in his power to get this situation to die down,” Jones said. “If any punches were thrown, they were thrown in self-defense. Darrelle did not initiate any of the physical contact. You think Darrelle Revis would go down to the South Side and start throwing punches?”
Jones said Friday night that he was only hired to handle a portion of the case and to get Revis safely turned in. Bob del Greco is taking over as Revis’ defense lawyer.
Jones told ESPN before the arraignment that he believes Revis has a "very good case." He described his client as serious, somber and "ready to answer charges."
Del Greco represented Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter last month after Porter allegedly was involved in an altercation outside a Pittsburgh bar, ESPN reported. All but the two least serious charges were ultimately dropped.
Revis was a star player at the University of Pittsburgh before he went to the NFL. He is facing an uncertain future with the Jets, ESPN reported. After a disappointing season — he called it the worst of his career — the 31-year-old Revis could be a salary-cap casualty in the coming weeks; he's due a $2 million roster bonus on March 11, plus another $13 million in base salary (including $6 million guaranteed).
Revis, who spent one year apiece with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots, returned to the Jets in 2015, signing a five-year, $70 million contract. Since then, he has struggled to reach the standard he set from 2007 to 2011, when he was regarded as the best cornerback in the league.
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