Lawyers for Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs have vehemently denied multiple allegations of battery, stating they possess 'a substantial body of tangible evidence' to counter the claims. The rebuttal comes after the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department released case files including statements from four women alleging abusive behavior, some dating back to 2021 and 2022.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, attorneys David Z Chesnoff, Richard A Schonfeld, and Clarence F Duchac III asserted that the police department's release of uninvestigated phone interviews constitutes 'character assassination' that unfairly threatens Jacobs' career. They claim Jacobs was not given an opportunity to present his evidence to the police department, particularly concerning older allegations that they describe as hearsay and easily disproven.
One of the women cited in the police report had previously made a claim to the NFL, which reviewed it and determined no action was warranted. Jacobs' legal team stated they have evidence supporting his accounts and corroborating the NFL's decision.
Jacobs was arrested on May 23, accused of attacking his then-girlfriend and destroying her phone. He later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property, receiving a $1,000 fine and court fees. He can have the criminal damage charge dismissed if he fulfills certain conditions for 12 months.
The NFL continues to investigate Jacobs regarding the May 23 incident. The newly released records contain disturbing allegations from his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, including claims of physical violence when sexual advances were refused and instances of phones being taken or destroyed.
One accuser detailed an incident in 2022 where she alleged Jacobs became violent after she refused sex, claiming he slapped her, spat on her, threw her phone in his pool, grabbed her by the hair, and threw her onto a bed and floor while threatening her life. She stated she did not initially report the incident, believing she would not be believed, but came forward after Jacobs' May arrest due to a perceived pattern of behavior.
Another allegation from April 2021, during his time with the Raiders, describes Jacobs becoming violent when a woman informed him a condom had broken. She reported that Jacobs forcibly removed her from his residence and threw her belongings outside. Police records from that incident indicated the accuser showed no visible signs of injury.
A third woman claimed that in 2022, Jacobs grabbed her hair, head, and neck, scratched her chest, and took her phone after discovering it on the floor. All three of these allegations stem from Jacobs' tenure with the Raiders, prior to his joining the Packers in 2024.
Jacobs has previously expressed remorse for the May 23 incident and the distraction it caused his team. Recently, he celebrated a touchdown by appearing to mimic being handcuffed, a gesture he later explained as inspired by a gospel song and part of a planned celebration sequence.