By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
In an effort to avoid facing trial on felony battery and other charges, Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. pleaded guilty in Las Vegas last week to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge stemming from a September 2010 incident involving his former live-in girlfriend and the mother of his children, Josie Harris.
According to Clark County District Attorney David Roger, Mayweather will serve 90 days in the Clark County Detention Center, pay a $2,500 fine, complete a 12-month domestic violence program and 100 hours of community service. The remaining 90 days of the sentence will likely be suspended on the condition that Mayweather satisfies all requirements of the plea deal. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native is expected to turn himself in Jan. 6 to begin serving his sentence. The undefeated prizefighter could have faced 34 years in state prison if convicted of all charges, said ESPN.
On September 9, 2010, Nevada officials announced Mayweather was being sought by local police after Harris filed a bevy of charges against the boxer alleging that he assaulted her, stole her iPhone and threatened to beat their children. According to a nine-page request seeking a restraining order against Mayweather, Harris told the court that the 34-year-old prize fighter allegedly grabbed her hair, threw her to the floor, and threatened to kill Harris and her boyfriend or make her boyfriend "disappear," according to the complaint.
Police initially charged Mayweather with felony theft for taking Harris's iPhone. Then on September 16, 2010, two felony coercion charges, one felony robbery charge, one misdemeanor domestic battery charge and three misdemeanor harassment charges were added. Mayweather was taken into custody the following day, and released after posting $3000 bail.
Harris and Mayweather reportedly lived together for seven years and dated "off and on" for 15 years before separating in May 2010.
Harris, who filed charges against Mayweather in the past also alleging battery, said the 1996 Featherweight Bronze Olympic medal winner was angry on the day of the assault because she was involved with a new boyfriend. Harris added that Mayweather came to the Las Vegas home she lives in with their children, a home Mayweather owns, and confronted her about the relationship. During the confrontation, Mayweather allegedly said he wanted to evict Harris from her home. The previous battery charges were dismissed in July 2005 after Harris testified that she had lied about the incident.
The coercion charge came as a result of Mayweather threatening to beat the couple’s 9 and 10-year-old sons if they telephoned 911 or left the apartment during the attack.
According to the Las Vegas Criminal Defense Group, under Nevada State law (NRS 207.190), it is unlawful for someone to use coercion to compel another to do or abstain from doing something which the other person has a right to do or abstain from doing.
Examples:
(1) Use violence or the threat of using violence or intent to inflict injury against a person or their property and any of the person’s family;
(2) Intend to deprive a person of any "tool, implement or clothing, or hinder the person in the use thereof"
(3) Attempt to intimidate a person by using the threat of force as defined in NRS 207.190
Sadly, Mayweather's legal troubles linger as he faces yet another criminal charge involving a homeowners association security guard who has accused Mayweather of poking and verbally assaulting him over parking tickets in November 2010.
Mayweather's domestic violence jail sentence is set to end a mere two months before he is scheduled to fight Filipino Manny Pacquiao on May 5, 2012.
Mayweather, who was recognized as the U.S. National Amateur Featherweight Champion (1995), Fighter of the Year in 2007 (New York Daily News) and ranked the second Highest-Earning American Athlete by Forbes Magazine in 2010, appeared on the fifth season of "Dancing with the Stars" alongside famous Ukrainian American born professional ballroom dancer, Karina Smirnoff. The pair came in 9th place and were eliminated from the competition on October
Mayweather's domestic violence jail sentence is set to end a mere two months before he is scheduled to fight Filipino Manny Pacquiao on May 5, 2012.
Mayweather, who was recognized as the U.S. National Amateur Featherweight Champion (1995), Fighter of the Year in 2007 (New York Daily News) and ranked the second Highest-Earning American Athlete by Forbes Magazine in 2010, appeared on the fifth season of "Dancing with the Stars" alongside famous Ukrainian American born professional ballroom dancer, Karina Smirnoff. The pair came in 9th place and were eliminated from the competition on October
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