Former Patriots star and three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest was charged Thursday with two felony counts in regard to an incident at a Los Angeles nightclub in December. The charges are assault with a deadly weapon and assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, according to USA TODAY.
McGinest’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for April.
The former linebacker, 51, was arrested on Dec. 19 after getting into an altercation on Dec. 9 at a club in West Hollywood. In a video obtained by TMZ, McGinest appears to be part of a group which beat up a man, at one point using a bottle to strike the man.
McGinest eventually posted bail at $30,000 and afterward released a statement offering an apology.
“First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood,” McGinest wrote. “To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility.”
McGinest spent 15 seasons in the NFL—including 12 with the Patriots—and joined NFL Network as an analyst after his retirement.
“This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection—mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation,” McGinest’s statement read. “Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again.”
