UFC star Jon Jones was arrested in September.
According to TMZ Jon Jones has accepted a plea deal with prosecutors in Las Vegas in relation to his September arrest at Caesars Palace. Jones had been charged with misdemeanour battery domestic violence and felony damage to a vehicle.
The charges stemmed from an incident the night after a UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Police were reportedly alerted to Jones’ hotel room after one of his children asked a security guard to call 911.
Police on the scene observed Jones’ fiancee with a bloody lip and blood on her sweatshirt. Jones’ fiancee told police that Jones had grabbed her hair, but had not struck her. After he was arrested it is alleged that Jones then headbutted a police car.
Prosecutors in the case have twice delayed making a decision on whether to pursue criminal charges against Jones. Cases regarding intimate partner violence often fall apart at this stage, since purported victims rarely agree to testify against their partners.
No criminal charges will proceed in this case after Jones came to an agreement on a plea deal with prosecutors. In exchange for the domestic battery charge being dismissed Jones has plead no contest to ‘destroying property of another’.
The plea deal stipulates that Jones must pay restitution to the victim, take anger management counselling and not commit another crime.
Jones’ September arrest was just the latest in a long string of incidents that have overshadowed the 34-year-old’s mixed martial arts career.
Among the notable incidents involving the former UFC light heavyweight champion are repeated failed drug tests, for recreational and performance enhancing substances, and a hit-and-run that resulted in a pregnant woman’s arm being broken.
After his latest arrest Jones was sensationally booted from Jackson Winkeljohn MMA Academy, a gym he had trained at for the vast majority of his career. Since then Jones has been training with Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson off-site and working with Henry Cejudo’s Fight Ready gym.
Throughout all this recent turmoil, Jones has maintained that he will make his UFC heavyweight debut in 2022. With no further legal fallout expected from his September arrest, he is clear to compete in the Octagon in the near future.
Support for survivors of domestic violence can be found from the following organizations:
USA – The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Canada – DAWN-RAFH Canada
UK and Ireland – Women’s Aid: 0808-2000-247
Rest of the World – HotPeachPages