In the least surprising news of the day, a member of Johnny Manziel’s legal team has withdrawn from the quarterback’s domestic violence case less than one week after texting information about the case to an Associated Press reporter.
Associate counsel Bob Hinton no longer will represent the former Heisman Trophy winner, Denise Michaels, Manziel’s spokeswoman, announced in a tweet Monday morning.
Hinton revealed a number of details about the case in his text to the AP last Wednesday, including that Manziel’s legal team was worried about the QB’s ability to stay away from drugs as it pursued a plea deal. Hinton later told the AP the text had been intended for Jim Darnell, Manziel’s lead attorney.
Michaels denied the report of a plea deal and told the AP that Hinton “has always only operated on the periphery of this case.”
Shortly after news of the damning text broke last Friday, Manziel’s father told ESPN’s Josina Anderson he hopes his “druggie” son is forced to spend time in jail.
“He’s a druggie. It’s not a secret that he’s a druggie,” Paul Manziel told Anderson. “I don’t know what to say other than my son is a druggie and he needs help. He just hasn’t seeked it yet. Hopefully he doesn’t die before he comes to his senses. That’s about all you can say. I don’t know what else to say. …
“I hate to say it, but I hope he goes to jail. I mean, that would be the best place for him. So we’ll see.”
Thumbnail photo via Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports Images
