An appeals court has reinstated a 2014 domestic violence case against soccer star Hope Solo, ESPN’s Mark Fainaru-Wada reported Friday.
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“We are shocked and disappointed by the judge’s ruling this morning”. On Friday, the Washington state appeals court announced that the original decision had been reversed and that the case would be heard again. The Washington state appeals court reversed a lower court’s decision to dismiss a case that alleges Solo beat up her half-sister and nephew. But after the half-sister and her son failed to appear to give evidence to Solo’s lawyers on several occasions, the two charges of domestic violence in the fourth degree were thrown out.
Later, as the case was nearing trial in January, a Kirkland Municipal Court judge dismissed the charges on procedural grounds after witnesses for the prosecution refused multiple times to be interviewed or deposed by the defense despite numerous attempts and a court order, said her attorney Todd Maybrown. City prosecutors, in a rare move, immediately appealed the decision.
Solo, who helped the US women’s national team cruise to its World Cup victory earlier this year, was charged with two counts of domestic violence after a June 2014 incident at the home of her half-sister, Teresa Obert.
No trial date has been set.
Because of the Good Morning America interview, Obert agreed to go on for Outside the Lines to tell her side of the story. She has denied assaulting anyone and has expressed frustration in media coverage of the case. Obert said Solo also assaulted her when she came to her son’s aid.
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U.S. Soccer, for its part, stood by Solo during her initial brush with the law, arguing that she was innocent until proven guilty and had a right to be treated as such. She led the USWNT to a World Cup victory in July.
