Just days before the 2012 NFL draft, Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He fell all the way to the seventh round before getting picked by the New England Patriots. Now, he finally faces trail for the arrest.
There are conflicting stories as to what exactly happened on that April night, according to the Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln Officer Ben Kobza‘s attorney, Chris Turner, said Dennard bumped into a college student, then punched the man in the face. Kobza then ran over and attempted to arrest the cornerback.
Dennard then allegedly pulled his left arm away from Kobza and punched the officer in the face with his right fist. The college student, Ben Samani, “can’t say it was Dennard who hit him,” though Kobza says he saw Dennard do it from 70 feet away, according to Lori Pilger of the Lincoln Journal Star.
Dennard’s attorney, Terry Dougherty, says the former Cornhusker resisted arrest but did nothing else wrong. Samani bumped into Dennard, the two pushed one another and a third party punched Samani, according to Dougherty.
When Kobza ran over, Dennard allegedly raised his arm and elbow to break free. Dennard did not know who grabbed him from behind, according to Dougherty.
Dougherty says Dennard will take trial on Tuesday and say he never punched Kobza. Kobza had two “tiny abrasions” under his left ear from the alleged assault.
In court, Kobza said the punch was a hook that struck him in the jaw. He described the punch as an “eight out of 10,” according to Pilger.
Photo via Facebook/Alfonzo Dennard
