AVON LAKE, Ohio — Cleveland Browns rookie DT Mike Hall Jr. pleaded no contest on Thursday to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct in connection with last month's domestic violence incident.
During the hearing at Avon Lake Municipal Court, Judge Allison Manning gave Hall a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail, plus two years of probation.
"If I see you back at the court -- it doesn't matter if it's specifically domestic violence or disorderly conduct -- if you are charged with any new criminal charges in the next two years, that will be brought to my attention and the court will have a review hearing. The court could impose some or all of that suspended jail time," Manning cautioned Hall.
Hall was also fined $250, plus court costs.
"I just regret the whole situation and wish this never happened," Hall told Manning prior to his sentencing. "Just taking those steps, just receiving counseling and trying to better myself."
The alleged victim was also in the courthouse, but did not want to speak in court. Her attorney, Eric Long, told Manning that "her desire is to move forward with the plea after previously asking the case to be dismissed. This resolution is something my client is comfortable with."
Currently, Hall is on the NFL Commissioner's Exempt list, meaning he is ineligible to play for the Browns and cannot practice or attend games until his exemption is lifted.
You can watch Thursday's hearing in the player below.
CASE DETAILS
The incident dates back to Monday, Aug. 12, when a domestic violence complaint was signed against Hall. On Tuesday, Aug. 13, the 21-year-old rookie was arrested by Avon police on a domestic violence charge.
A detailed incident report obtained by the AP said officers responded to a call at 10 p.m. Monday night from a woman who claimed that Hall had pushed her daughter and struck her with a baby bottle.
According to the incident report, the woman said Hall, had thrown her belongings outside and dragged her along a porch and driveway. At one point, the woman said Hall put a gun to her temple and said, “I will (expletive) end it all.”
The woman did not seek medical treatment.
Hall locked the woman out of the house and left in a pickup truck, according to the report.
Police said they found evidence including a damaged door frame and a hole in a door the woman said Hall had punched. Officers also seized two handguns — a .40-caliber Glock and a 9mm Smith & Wesson.
On Aug. 21, 3News investigates learned that the victim, Hall's fiancée had recanted the most egregious of the accusations — the claim that Hall held a gun to her head. We're also learning about a previous incident between the couple last year that led to her arrest for attacking Hall.
Sources told 3News Investigates that Hall's fiancée, also the mother of their 11-month-old son, told the Avon city prosecutor that she was "mistaken" when she gave her account to police that Hall had "pressed the firearm against her temple" and threatened her.
3News' Lynna Lai and the Associated Press contributed to this report.