Ex-ESPN Analyst Hugh Douglas Pleads No Contest To Resolve Assault Allegations
Hugh Douglas, the former NFL player and ESPN analyst, has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of breach of peace, thereby avoiding jail time.
Police arrested Douglas last September on assault and strangulation charges for allegedly getting into a scuffle with his girlfriend at the Hartford (Conn.) Marriott Hotel. Douglas denied the allegations and claimed he took the plea deal so to resolve the legal proceedings.
The judge sentenced Douglas to a six-month suspended jail sentence and two years of probation. The court also ordered Douglas into domestic violence counseling and barred him from ever contacting the woman. Douglas could face jail time if he violates the protective order.
Commenting on the plea entered in Hartford Superior Court on Monday, the prosecutor said that “the case would have been difficult to prove at trial because it was the woman’s word against Douglas’ word, and it was better to get a breach of peace conviction than risk going to trial.”
Douglas, 42, a defensive end, played 10 years in the NFL with the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He worked as an ESPN studio analyst from 2011 to 2013. He was named defensive Rookie of the Year in 1995 by the Associated Press and was a three-time Pro Bowler.
The ex-football player’s former girlfriend apparently was not pleased with the disposition of the case. “I just want accountability. That man assaulted me and sent me to the hospital… That wasn’t a breach of peace. I was assaulted that night.”
In August 2013, Douglas reportedly got into a heated argument with his then Numbers Never Lie co-host Michael Smith in which Douglas allegedly hurled racial slurs at Smith at an event in Orlando. Shortly thereafter, ESPN announced that Douglas was no longer employed by the sports network.
Said Douglas after the court hearing on his no contest plea, “As a man, you never want allegations like this hanging over your head. Right now, we look forward to putting the word out… that this was a breach of peace, so I can move on with my life.”
