Ex-Dolphin Duper accused of child abuse
Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mark Duper was arrested and accused of child abuse involving his 17-year-old son, according to multiple media reports.
Citing an incident report, the Jacksonville, Fla., Sheriff's Office maintains Duper choked, punched and body slammed the teen, knocking him unconscious and later threatening to kill the child.
"This is a family matter," Duper told the Miami Herald. "This is not an open book. I have to deal with this within my family."
According to the police report, Duper, 54, was playing video games in a Jacksonville, Fla. home, when the son tossed his hat to the ground and refused to pick it up. Duper then punched the youth and slammed him to the floor, rendering him unconsciousness. The fight moved outside the house.
When the boy was leaving, he hit Duper's car with his bike, causing Duper to choke and threaten to kill the victim, the police report said.
The Herald reported that Duper has been arrested twice on domestic battery charges two previous times in the past decade, though neither case went to trial.
