Georgia authorities file charges against Marshall has 0 comments

Sep 19th 2008, 09:52 | FFN-Score: 4 points

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Prosecutors in Georgia have filed two counts of simple battery against Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall stemming from a 6-month-old domestic violence complaint.

The charges were filed Sept. 10 in Fulton County State Court. Police allege Marshall threw his ex-girlfriend on a bed, slapped her and damaged an Atlanta apartment on March 4.

Marshall said Thursday he had been waiting for charges to be filed, but it wasn't clear why they came so long after the complaint.

"Like I said before, that's my past," he said.

"Everything that came out in camp was from last year and there was an incident in March, but that's still an open case and we've been waiting six months for those charges to be filed," he said.

"And it's finally here and that's why I have (attorney) Harvey Steinberg for," Marshall said.

Steinberg was in court and didn't immediately return a message. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan declined to comment.

Marshall was arrested March 6 on a domestic violence warrant requested by the former girlfriend. He was released the next day after posting $1,000 bond.

It was his third arrest in about a year.

In March 2007, he was arrested in Douglas County, south of Denver, when a woman identified as his girlfriend said he used his vehicle to block her taxi as she tried to leave after an argument. That case was dismissed.

In October 2007, he was arrested in Denver on suspicion of driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while ability-impaired last week and was sentenced to a year of probation.

The arrests caught the attention of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who met with Marshall in August and then suspended him for three games. That was later reduced to one game, the Broncos' season opener at Oakland.

Marshall bounced back against San Diego last Sunday with a club-record 18-catch game. He had 166 yards and a touchdown, earning him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

"I'm excited about this year, football-wise and my career and excited at the direction I'm going in as a person and as an organization," Marshall said. "I'm happy right now."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press