PITTSBURGH _ A district judge Wednesday afternoon dismissed all criminal charges against former New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis in connection with a fight on the South Side after the athlete's childhood friend from Aliquippa testified that he _ not the football player _ was the one who knocked out the two alleged victims.
Pittsburgh police charged Revis, 31, with aggravated assault, robbery and other crimes in connection with the Feb. 12 incident. He arrived shortly before 1 p.m. for his scheduled appearance at City Court, Downtown, for a preliminary hearing, accompanied by his attorney, Robert DelGreco Jr.
Following a nearly three-hour proceeding, District Judge Kevin E. Cooper Jr. dismissed charges of aggravated assault, robbery, conspiracy and terroristic threats after Rashawn Bolton testified on his old friend's behalf.
In closing arguments, DelGreco told District Judge Cooper that the prosecution was based on "innuendo, assumption, mischaracterization and falsehood."
"They got this all wrong, absolutely all wrong," Del Greco said, describing what he called a "flawed prosecution."
Following the hearing, Revis seemed relieved.
Wearing a burgundy-and-blue plaid suit, a bright blue tie and a striped shirt, the onetime Aliquippa High School standout and University of Pittsburgh star stood in the court hallway and joked with the media. He indicated that he wants to play football again and was staying in shape. Asked if he would like to play for the Steelers, he said, "It would be a dream come true."
Bolton testified he and Revis went out Feb. 12 to a South Side bar, The Flats on Carson, around 11:30 p.m.
They left the bar separately shortly after 2 a.m., Bolton said.
At 2:26 a.m., Bolton got a call from Revis, who said "some guys were trying to jump him."
Bolton started to head in the direction Revis had gone and called his friend twice on the phone to find out his location. When he arrived at 23rd and East Carson streets, Bolton said he saw one man wrapped around his friend's waist and another around his neck.
Bolton said he believed his friend was being assaulted
Bolton said that he pulled one man off. When the man came at him, Bolton said he defended himself, knocking him out with one punch. Bolton said he then pulled the other assailant off Revis and that man also came at him.
"I defended myself and I punched him, too," Bolton said.
The second man was also knocked out.
Bolton was represented at the hearing by attorney Casey White, who said his client would cooperate with prosecutors if asked. It was not immediately clear if Bolton will face charges.
According to Pittsburgh police, two men, Dallas Cousins, 22, and Zacheriah Jarvis, 21, both of Kittanning, said they saw Revis and began following him. Police said Revis told Cousins to "get out of (his) face,' and then Revis pushed him and began to walk away. Cousins then took out his cell phone and began recording.
Cousins said Revis grabbed the phone and threw it in the street.
The next thing the men remembered was getting punched and waking up to talk to the police.
Cousins said he sustained broken bones around his left eye.
Earlier in the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Ed Scheid called both alleged victims to testify. Both said they did not know who punched them.
The men testified that they followed Revis. They confirmed his identity. At one point, Cousins said, Revis shoved him, knocking his cell phone to the ground, breaking its case and cracking a corner of the phone. Cousins said it was then that he picked up his phone and began to record the football player.
"He grabbed my phone from me. He snatched it out of my hand," Cousins said.
Cousins testified that Revis said, "He doesn't need to deal with this and he would have his boys take care of it."
At that point, Cousins said, Revis threw his phone into the street; then he was knocked out.
Scheid, in his closing argument, said that that he believed that he presented evidence that crimes occurred and that Revis committed conspiracy by soliciting his boyhood friend to assault the victims.
