Girlfriend of former Steelers RB Rainey denies assault
The girlfriend of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Christopher Rainey said she was not assaulted by Rainey and the state of Florida should drop the battery charge against him.
An e-mail from Rainey's girlfriend was read by Rainey's attorney, Huntley Johnson, during a hearing. Video of the hearing was posted on the Gainesville Sun's website.
Rainey was arrested Thursday on one count of simple battery after an incident with a cell phone. Hours later, he was released by the team.
According to witnesses cited in a Gainesville, Fla. police report, Rainey and his girlfriend were arguing over Rainey's cell phone when Rainey pulled her out of a vehicle and slapped her in the face with an open hand. The two tumbled to the ground, and then Rainey chased the woman and took her bag to get his phone, the release said. Then the two fell again. The report said no one suffered visible injuries.
The e-mail said the witnesses were mistaken.
Rainey, who ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, was charged with simple battery (dating violence), a first-degree misdemeanor, and was booked into the Alachua County Jail.
He was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 draft after a standout career at the University of Florida.
Rainey was also arrested Sept. 14, 2010 while in college after sending a threatening text message to his girlfriend that read. He was charged then with felony aggravated stalking, and dismissed from the team by then-coach Urban Meyer. He was reinstated nearly a month later, after undergoing evaluation and counseling for anger management/domestic violence issues.
