Today in Los Angeles Superior Court, ESPN Around the Horn commentator and AOL Fanhouse columnist Jay Mariotti pleaded no contest, which has the effect of a guilty plea, to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence against his girlfriend in exchange for the L.A. City Attorney dropping six additional charges against him stemming from his August 21 domestic violence arrest in Los Angeles.
In other words, Mariotti did not contest that he committed domestic violence against his girlfriend on the night in question.
Mariotti’s attorney Nick Hanna said of the plea bargain, “Today’s resolution — a no contest plea to a low-level misdemeanor with all of the other charges dismissed — ends the matter once and for all.”
An L.A. law enforcement source very familiar with the case told me today that Hanna’s comment was a misrepresentation of the seriousness of the charge that Mariotti did not contest.
You can read about the extent of the charges against Mariotti in the original criminal complaint filed by the L.A. City Attorney here.
Mariotti’s plea bargain means he’ll avoid jail time, instead being sentenced to 40 hours community service and three years probation. Mariotti must also complete a one-year domestic violence course and is forbidden from contacting or being in the vicinity of the victim.
ESPN Spokesman Josh Krulewitz said today of Mariotti’s status with the network: “We have no plans to use him (Mariotti) at this time.”
Since today’s plea deal, AOL has yet to comment on Mariotti’s status with the company.
Mariotti attorney Hanna also added of his client:
“Jay regrets having put himself in a position to have a public argument with his female companion, and was simply attempting to get her home safely. While he is deeply saddened by how this was portrayed, he is wiser for having lived through it.”
Not exactly a contrite representation of his client in the wake of an effective guilty plea to a domestic violence charge.
If Mariotti was “deeply saddened” by his portrayal by law enforcement and the L.A. City Attorney, why didn’t he fight to completely clear his name - which would’ve surely given him a much better job to get his job back?
I talked to two plugged-in ESPN sources today about Mariotti’s future with the company. Both indicated they didn’t think Mariotti would retain his position with the company, including Mariotti’s planned foray as an ESPN L.A. radio morning personality.
5:17 pm on September 30th, 2010
“ends the matter once and for all”?
what kind of idiot lawyer is this? does he not know his client? the next time Jay Marriotti goes ‘holier-than-thou’ on an athlete, this will get shoved right in his face (altho i think the ATH panel are too sissy to do such a thing, the blogs will mutliate him)….this is does NOT, for all intents and purposes, end the matter once and for all
5:23 pm on September 30th, 2010
right on 808
The only thing it does “once and for all” is label that prick, a “coward for life” who has to beat up women.
And the only thing that “Jay regrets” is getting caught.
7:57 pm on September 30th, 2010
Why didn’t the judge just take out a pair of pliers and rip Mariotti’s fingernails off? That would have been a suitable punishment for his crimes.
8:09 pm on September 30th, 2010
TYPICAL LIBERAL HE DOES NOT EVEN KNOW SPORTS THAT WELL HE ALWAYS MAKES STATEMENTS THAT ARE USUALLY UNFOUNDED MISLEADING AND OVERALL DUMB
YOU THINK YOU ARE TOUGH BEATING UP WOMEN PU Y!
12:34 am on October 1st, 2010
Unless you know exactly what went on between them, you should be careful who you judge. Let’s face it. Any woman can push you to the point of wanting to slap her silly. My first wife would still be walking this earth if she wasn’t such a nag. How many times do you have to tell some women to shut up before they listen.
3:10 am on October 1st, 2010
What he said.
3:10 am on October 1st, 2010
You can stick a fork in Mariotti, he is done on TV and in the national media. He is now seen as one of the worlds biggest hypocrites, and has zero credibility anymore.
His holier than though attitude, has come back to bite him in the butt. How sweet is that.
5:50 am on October 1st, 2010
Lawyers Lie to all is the only course they need to pass.
5:53 am on October 1st, 2010
Maybe he can HOOK up with that self proclaimed hottest reporter in Medico and pose with her. Beware of God Please do us all a favor and go with them. You piece of trash.
6:09 am on October 1st, 2010
Yea And take that other moron Chris Berman with you and the rest of the ESPN.
10:09 am on October 1st, 2010
Would have won in court? Ya, Bull Caraapp! They know a jury is gonna slap him harder than any plea bargain. An innocent man would fight, demand a polygraph, etc.
10:10 am on October 1st, 2010
A polygraph is not admissible in court. Nor are polygraphs all that effective. Their effectiveness is well overstated by supporters of polygraphs. Often studies that are cited in support of polygraphs effectiveness fail to include the polygraphs in which answers are inconclusive. By including those figures, the effectiveness drops into the 60%-70% accuracy range.