Authorities announced Thursday that they will withdraw the most serious charges filed against Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter following his encounter with a Pittsburgh police officer at a South Side bar last weekend.
It's unclear what that will mean for Porter, who was placed on leave "pending further review" following his arrest.
The Allegheny County district attorney's office said it decided to withdraw the most serious charges after it reviewed surveillance video taken from multiple angles.
"Following that review it is the position of the office that the only charges supported by the video are summary disorderly conduct and summary public drunkenness," the DA's office said. "Our office will proceed on those charges and barring any additional evidence that is brought forward, we will withdraw the other charges at the appropriate time."
Porter initially was charged with aggravated and simple assault, resisting arrest and trespassing. The charges stemmed from a confrontation between Porter and Pittsburgh police officer Paul Abel, who was called to The Flats, following a dispute between Porter and a doorman at the bar.
Attorney Robert Del Greco said his client was "heartened" by the withdrawal of the most serious charges and will address the lower, summary offenses "in due course."
Del Greco said Porter "has in fact apologized for the fact that it was a distraction for the team" and "regrets all that and apologizes for that." He said he also reviewed video taken from businesses along the South Side and feels that the district attorney's decision to withdraw the most serious charges was appropriate.
"Joey has been frustrated over this because, again, his impression was that the filing of these charges and the implication of those charges was that he was some excessively drunk, violent, disrespectful individual, and the fact that these charges, the more serious charges, aren't going forward, I think gave him somewhat of a relief," Del Greco said.
Abel wrote in an arrest affidavit that Porter "lunged" at a doorman, lifted him up off the ground and at one point grabbed Abel by the wrists.
"Porter informed me that he was not touching me, as he was still holding my wrists," Abel wrote. He wrote that Porter then asked, "Did you hear what (the doorman) said to me?"
Abel wrote that Porter released him and then backed into East Carson Street, saying at various times, "No! No! I didn't do anything," or, "You're lying! I never touched you."
Neither Abel, the doorman nor Porter were injured.
Acting Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert has said that he also reviewed footage of the encounter and supported Abel's actions. The independent Citizen Police Review Board said that it is also reviewing the arrest in hopes of helping people "discern facts from speculation."
The Steelers had no immediate comment on the withdrawal of the charges. The team is scheduled to play Kansas City in the AFC divisional-round playoff game Sunday.
