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Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones returned to court on Monday after being accused and charged with assaulting a 34-year old woman at a local bar in back in June; the trial was originally scheduled for Aug. 19. The assault charge leveled against Jones is the highest misdemeanor in Ohio, which carries a maximum of 180 days at the Hamilton County Justice Center.
Jones is accused of assaulting Shannon Wesley, 34, at a local bar after striking the woman. Jones claimed that it was self-defense as Wesley approached Jones with a beer bottle. During the video, someone is hanging with Jones and eventually guides him away after the incident broke out. That person has also been identified as Bengals cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris, who will be a key witness for Jones.
A few tweets from opening statements, courtesy of Kimball Perry with the Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati prosecutor Christopher Ryan.
Opening statements: City pros Christopher Ryan "F%$^ you, bitch. You ugly bitch, you disgusting bitch, you fat bitch, you sloppy bitch."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Prosecutor Ryan admits Wesley "poured a beer slowly of his shoulder." That's when the football player punched WESley in the head.
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Ralph Kohnen, recently hired after Jones fired his former attorney more than a week ago:
KOHNEN Open: Pacman is the victim when the girl threatened the player with a beer bottle.
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Kohnen: "She struck him on the chin" but said some didn't think he was hit at all but said the video will prove it.
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Kohnen: "Thank goodness for video surveillance ... (she) physically assaulted Mr. Jones. She struck first. The video says it all."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Prosecution began by calling one of their ten witnesses, Brooke Boling, who is a friend of Wesley's.
Boling said Jones approached her asking "Hey, I hear you do hair" while they were at the bar's outside patio.
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Boling: "I just thought it was a drunk person on the corner, not on the bar." She ignored him but he said: "Blond bitches, rich bitches...
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
..."think they are something in Cincinnati. Disgusting bitches."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
(Boling) said she say Shannon Wesley pour a (beer) on Jones, demonstrating a pouring motion from the witness stand. Bottle never touched Jones.
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Jones' attorney attempted to discredit Boling, asking how much she drank that night and if Wesley was left or right handed. The prosecutors second witness was another friend of Wesley's, Christina Caruso.
Caruso said Jones was talking to Boling from other side of a fence at bar patio. Brooke said to her "I don't like this. Can we just leave?"
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Jones walked away, came back. Caruso put her hand up, telling him to leave. She said he told her "F&^% you, bitch, This has nothing 2 do w|u
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Caruso: He pointed down the line, pointing at each of us, saying 'F765 you, you're fat." Shannon poured her drink on her "and he hit her."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Amanda Wesley, Shannon's sister followed Caruso, confirming mostly what the other witnesses said.
Amanda: "He told her to suck his (penis) and that's when she poured beer on him." "She never struck him at all."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Amanda: "He kept lunging at us, acting like he was going to come over the fence and attack us. Again."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Nick Trotta, who works security at FB's, heard screams and confirmed that Jones was "a regular customer of the bar" and said that he sees him there every week for about two years.
Trotta: Jones was "very distraught and high-tempered, boiling."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Trotta: Jones "was very furiously upset and mad and angered."
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
The Judge took a break at 3 p.m., but the trial was eventually continued until Tuesday. According to Perry, the trial will be continued.
Yep, being continued until tomorrow morning. Shannon will testify (with video planned) then cop, Det. Upchurch for prosecutors.
— Kimball Perry (@kimballperry) October 7, 2013
Make sure you follow Kimball Perry on twitter, who is tweeting from the courtroom @kimballperry.