CLEVELAND — The Northeast Ohio attorney accused of throwing a water bottle at Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam from the stands during last season's home opener at FirstEnergy Stadium has entered a court diversion program.
According to the Cleveland Municipal Court, 51-year-old Jeffrey Miller has been qualified to enter the Court's Selective Intervention Program (SIP) Selective Intervention Program. If Miller completes the program accordingly, the charges against him will be dropped during his next scheduled court appearance on July 24.
Additionally, Miller has been ordered to go through the court's Communication Awareness Project. According to the court's website, the program teaches "conflict resolution skills and civility to individuals who have experienced a negative interaction with peers, neighbors, co-workers, employers, teachers, and even strangers."
Last October, Miller was charged with disorderly conduct by intoxication after allegedly throwing a bottle at Haslam from the stands during the Browns' Week 2 loss to the New York Jets. Footage of the incident, which occurred as Cleveland surrendered a historic come-from-behind defeat, was obtained by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
Police later tracked down Miller using surveillance footage as he attempted to leave the stadium. Miller reportedly claimed he was drunk but had denied "hit[ting] the field" with this throw.
The Browns confirmed the incident to 3News and announced their intention to ban Miller from future events, adding no one had been hurt in the ordeal and that "behavior that puts others in danger will not be tolerated." At the time of his arrest, Miller had also been booked on charges of assault and failure to comply, but those have since been dropped by the city prosecutor.
3News also confirmed that Miller, a resident of Rocky River, was employed by the Akron-based law firm Brennan Manna Diamond. In a statement, Brennan Manna Diamond President Matthew Heinle told 3News: "Jeff Miller's actions, which took place on his personal time, are in no way a reflection of BMD. We are supporting him as he takes the time he needs to deal with this matter personally."