The woman accused of stabbing former NFL player Terrelle Pryor was denied bail Wednesday during a hearing.
Shalaya Briston, 24, is charged with criminal attempted homicide and aggravated assault in connection with the domestic incident early Saturday at Heinz Lofts apartments in Pittsburgh.
"I believe this a miscarriage of justice that occurred here today," said Briston's attorney, Lee Rothman.
At Briston's bond hearing, Rothman argued that Briston, who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, was overpowered by Pryor, who is 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds.
The commonwealth's attorney's argument was short and sweet, pointing out to the judge that Briston used a deadly weapon on a vital part of the human body. But Rothman said the judge's decision to deny her bond sets a horrible precedent.
“For the judge to make a finding that she’s a danger to the community seems to suggest that women beware, if you’re being assaulted and you defend yourself, that you’re going to be held in jail without bond,” Rothman said.
Rothman also attacked the charges in this case, arguing that after the stabbing, Briston and her friends took Pryor to the hospital to make sure he wouldn’t die and, because of this, Briston should not have been charged with aggravated assault, which by definition, means she acted recklessly.
“The fact that she drove the individual to the hospital to preserve life would seem to be evidence to suggest that that charge should not have been charged by the District Attorney’s Office,” Rothman said.
Pryor, 30, who is originally from Jeannette, was also arrested. He is facing charges of simple assault.
His attorney shared his side of the story during a press conference on Wednesday.
Attorney Stephen Colafella said Pryor was the true victim in the incident because he was sleeping inside his apartment when Briston and two other women came back and started arguing – yelling at Pryor and claiming he was cheating.
Colafella claims Pryor was simply trying to fend off all three women and get them out of the apartment when he was stabbed twice – once in the chest and once in the shoulder.
Then after parking outside the hospital, Colafella said Pryor was again the victim.
“As (Pryor) attempted to climb out of the car, he was shoved onto the sidewalk where he landed on his back. There were no phone calls made from Ms. Briston or the other young ladies involved claiming self defense, claiming that they were assaulted,” Colafella said.
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