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  • Wendy Geller (People.com)

Menacing Charge Against Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Mixon Dismissed

The running back was accused of pointing a firearm at and threatening a woman last month.

A misdemeanor menacing charge against Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon was dismissed Friday, according to local news station WCPO.


The dismissal comes one day after a complaint was filed that alleged Mixon pointed a firearm at a woman on Jan. 21 and said, "You should be popped in the face. I should shoot you, the police [can't] get me."


"We're requesting dismissal because we need additional investigation before we would move forward with this case," the city prosecutor's office said in court Friday, according to WCPO.


The complaint can still be refiled, according to video footage obtained by WLWT. An arrest warrant was placed out for Mixon following the incident, which was classified as a misdemeanor.


Mixon's agent, Peter Schaffer, released a statement to WCPO: "It was a rush to judgment. They're dropping the charges first thing in the morning. I really feel that police have an obligation before they file charges — because of the damage that can be done to the person's reputation — to do their work. They should be held to a higher standard. Because I don't play with people's lives."


In a follow-up comment to PEOPLE on Friday evening, Schaffer reiterated that the dropping of the charges was warranted. He said, "Obviously we are very pleased that the police and district attorney realized that the mistake had been made."


He termed the handling of the situation as "refreshing," clarifying, "As opposed to continuing on that path, they did the right thing."


The Bengals said in a statement following the initial filing: "The club is aware misdemeanor charges have been raised against Joe Mixon. The club is investigating the situation and will not comment further at this time."

While in college and playing for the University of Oklahoma, Mixon, 26, was charged in 2014 with misdemeanor assault; a video surfaced showing him punching a female student during a confrontation, fracturing bones in her face.


He was suspended from the team for a season, and under a plea deal, was placed on probation for a year and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, as well undergo cognitive behavior counseling.


After the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the city of Norman in Oklahoma should release surveillance footage of the incident, the video was released in 2016 with a statement from Mixon's attorney at the time, Blake Johnson.


In the statement, Mixon's attorney wrote: "Mr. Mixon asked us to once again say he is sorry for the way he reacted that night. He has apologized publicly to Ms. Molitor, her friends, his family, teammates and the University. He hopes that his voluntary release of these recordings will help put this matter to rest."


According to ESPN, Mixon was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft and was given a four-year extension to his contract in 2020. After the extension, his contract was valued at $48 million.

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