Judge drops charges on Revis
A judge has dismissed robbery, assault and all other charges against former New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis stemming from a fight last month in Pittsburgh, after a childhood friend testified that he knocked out two men who confronted Revis during a dispute over a cellphone.
The friend, Rashawn Bolton, 31, of Aliquippa, Pa., has not been charged in connection with the incident about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 12 on the city’s South Side, a neighborhood well-known for its bars, restaurants and night life.
Bolton testified he knocked out Dallas Cousins, 22, and Zacheriah Jarvis, 21, with one punch each after Revis phoned him to say he was being jumped. Bolton ran from a few blocks away and testified he saw one man with his arms about Revis’ waist and the other hanging on Revis’ neck, pulled both off, then punched them in selfdefense.
Bolton then took a video, which wound up on TMZ, in which he could be heard saying, “Hey, I knocked both of them (expletives) out. Both of them. They’re both sleeping” and then, turned to one of their friends saying he’d do the same to him.
Assistant District Attorney Edward Scheid argued that the robbery, aggravated assault and terroristic threat charges should stand based on the legal theory of “accomplice liability,” meaning Revis was responsible even though Bolton committed them. A friend of Cousins and Jarvis testified he heard Revis call on his phone to have “one of his boys” handle the situation. And Scheid suggested Bolton more or less acted as Revis’ bodyguard, which Bolton flatly denied.
Revis, who won a Super Bowl with the 2014 Patriots, said he’s hoping to sign a free agent deal, and was relieved by the judge’s decision.
Jets TE suspended
The NFL suspended New York Jets tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins without pay for the first two games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Seferian-Jenkins was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Florida last September while he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. . . .
The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to acquire center Jeremy Zuttah from the Baltimore Ravens for an exchange of draft picks.
The Ravens will move up 12 spots in the sixth round in the deal. Baltimore will now select with the 186th pick, while San Francisco will have the 198th selection. Zuttah must pass a physical to make the deal official.
Steelers add WR
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed free agent wide receiver Justin Hunter to a one-year deal.
The 25-year-old Hunter split time between Buffalo and Miami in 2016, catching 10 passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns. . . .
The Minnesota Vikings and veteran cornerback Terence Newman have agreed to terms on a new contract, bringing him back for a 15th season in the NFL.
Newman has been a starter for the team the last two years. He missed only one game in that span, because of a neck injury, and had four interceptions and 21 pass breakups. . . .
The Lions re-signed long snapper Don Muhlbach, who is entering his 14th season, all with Detroit.