Police video shows woman describing assault by Jon 'Bones' Jones, fear of filing charges
The woman who alleged Jon “Bones” Jones assaulted her in April described the incident in detail to police in a video obtained by Albuquerque news station KRQE 13 and was afraid of pressing charges due to Jones’ past and his celebrity status.
Jones, the former UFC light heavyweight title holder, faces battery charges from the incident with a waitress at TD’s Eubank Showclub, to which he told reporters he was fully unaware.
Woman describes alleged choke hold by Jones
The video from KRQE 13 shows the woman, whose face does not appear, describing what happened after she reportedly called officers to her home to file a complaint.
“Jon put his arm around here or something, pretty tight, and I was like, ‘Oh, you’re going to put me in a choke hold,” she told police in the video.
“I got out of the thing, and as soon as I did that, he just like picked me up and you know, flipped me over whatever, and just started rough housing with me,” she said.
The woman said he was drunk and continued to be physical with her. He’s charged with slapping her inappropriately while at the strip club and the woman alleges he broke club rules by pulling her on to his lap and kissing her neck.
“The issue is that when he put me back down over by the bar, he like smacked my p----.”
The woman asked him to stop, but he continued touching her until he left, per the original report by the station in June. Police filed a battery charge in May and news broke of the assault when he failed to show up to a bond arraignment.
Jones ‘gets away with f------ everything,’ woman says
The woman voiced concerns on the police cam of filing a formal report and charging Jones due to his past issues and celebrity status. Through tears, she told the officer:
“The whole situation is complicated. I’m not really sure what to say. This person gets away with f------ everything.”
In the end of the video, the officer sums up the situation.
Officer: So, you don’t know if you, as of right now, if you want to press charges or not because you feel like he’s quote/unquote untouchable?
Woman: It’s f------ Jon Jones, what am I supposed to say about that?
Police assured her no one is an exception to the law and “a crime is a crime regardless.”
Jones was stripped of his title and suspended indefinitely in 2015 after turning himself in for a hit-and-run. He pleaded guilty in court to leaving the scene of an accident and was sentenced to 18 months probation.
He also tested positive for cocaine that year, but was not punished since it was done out of competition. He was fined and spent one day in a rehab center. He’s been suspended two separate times for using two banned substances.
Bench trial to take place in September
The bench trial is set for Sept. 26, according to MMA Fighting. He faces a maximum six months in jail and $500 fine if found guilty with potentially six months of probation.
Jones said he was not aware of the charge, hence why he did not appear to a bond arraignment. The judge then issued a bench warrant. Jones’ spokesperson called it a “false accusation” and the paperwork was sent to an “incorrect address.” Jones paid a small for the warrant to be lifted and, per the statement, is “ready to factually refute the malicious lies being told about him to the public.”
UFC president Dana White stood by Jones when the story broke and said he’s seen some of the videos.
“When you’re famous, these types of things happen to you,” White said, via MMA Fighting.
“From what I’ve seen so far, when it all surfaces and comes to the top, it looks good for Jon. It looks very good for Jon Jones. It’s quite sad actually.”
He said he’s confident Jones will return by the end of 2019.
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