The Dallas Police Department has opened a criminal investigation regarding Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel and an alleged domestic violence incident.
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There have been questions about Manziel’s mental state following a police report filed by his ex-girlfriend that alleges Manziel hit her repeatedly.
Police said in a release that they received an assault complaint Friday for a January 30 incident, and Manziel was listed as the suspect.
It was not immediately clear if Manziel has a lawyer who could comment on the criminal investigation.
In the Fort Worth report, investigators said some of Crowley’s answers were vague, and she became increasingly uncooperative as the interview progressed. The order also prohibits Manziel from engaging in any more family violence and bars him from having a firearm or ammunition in his possession.
Manziel’s father, Paul, told the Dallas Morning News that twice this past week he tried to get his son to rehab, but the 23-year-old left both times.
In Friday’s statement, police suggested the delay in pursuing a formal charge against Manziel rests with the victim, not their lack of investigatory follow-up.
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A Tarrant County judge grants Crowley the restraining order, ruling Manziel can not see Crowley for two years, and that he must stay 500 feet from her home and workplace as well as pay $12,000 in legal fees. After two combustible seasons, the Cleveland Browns said earlier this week that they intend to release Manziel next month, putting his onetime promising professional career in peril. Crowley accused Manziel of not only hitting her but also of threatening to kill her during the drive. Ensuing criticism of the football player is the culmination of a fall from grace since he was hailed as a hero in winning the Heisman trophy while at Texas A&M in 2012 – the first freshman ever to win the lofty honor, earning him the nickname “Johnny Football”. The Browns don’t release Manziel immediately because they don’t have the salary cap space to do so. Obviously it doesn’t take much if someone tells the police I was abused and they see some physical injuries, which they have in this case, then, yes, they will make an arrest.
