GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers running back Josh Jacobs enters a no contest plea to charges of misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property in connection to a domestic dispute at his home last spring, but will avoid jail time.
Jacobs was present with his legal team in Brown County Court September 10 to enter the no contest plea. He will be convicted on the battery charge, according to Judge Marc Hammer. By pleading no contest, a person neither admits nor denies wrongdoing but will accept charges as if they are found guilty.
“I fully understand the serious of the situation and I take full responsibility,” said Jacobs in court.
Jacobs must pay a $1,000 fine and complete terms of a deferred judgment agreement on the misdemeanor battery charge.
On the misdemeanor criminal damage to property charge, Jacobs is ordered by the court to complete the following to have the charge dismissed:
- Do no further criminal acts
- Must have no contact with the victim
- Must submit to Criminal Justice Services for supervision
- Must complete a course for battery
- Must pay restitution to the victim
“With this agreement, Josh has accepted responsibility for his conduct and resolved this matter. Today’s resolution is set against a career history of Josh’s community work while in the NFL, which has centered on the circumstances of his early life,” said Jacobs’ attorneys David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld, and Clarence Duchac III in a joint statement following the ruling.
A September 10, 2027 review hearing has been set to check whether Jacobs has complied with the terms of the deferred judgement agreement on the criminal damage to property charge.
According to the criminal complaint, a 911 call from a neighbor during the early morning hours of May 23 told Hobart-Lawrence police she heard “swearing” and “yelling” coming from Jacobs’ home.
The victim told police she was looking through Jacobs’ phone, and became upset after seeing conversations with other women.
Jacobs then allegedly grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground in the garage, causing her to hit her head. Court documents show he then took her phone and damaged it.
Security footage from the home appears to validate the woman’s account. When police arrived, they observed redness on her face and neck and a bump on the back of her head.
The September 10 hearing was originally scheduled for November 17, but was moved up last week to occur just three days before the Packers open the regular season on the road against the Minnesota Vikings.
In a statement from Jacobs’ lawyers, they say the resolution to the case is “set against a career long history of Jacobs’ community work while in the NFL, which has centered on the circumstances of his early life”.
Jacobs remains on the NFL’s commissioner’s exempt list, meaning he can not be present at team facilities or participate in practices or games while still receiving pay. Head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters September 10 he had not received clarity from the league office on a potential suspension for Jacobs.
