YPSILANTI – Michigan wide receiver Adrian Arrington will have to wait two more weeks to find out if domestic violence charges brought against him will go to trial.
- Angela Cesere
- Michigan wide receiver Adrian Arrington shows up to the 14A-2 District Court in Ypsilani at 9 a.m. this morning for a pre-trial hearing on domestic violence charges. (STEVEN TAI/Daily)
His next court date looms just three days before Michigan’s match-up with number one ranked Ohio State University.
The pretrial hearing yesterday morning was adjourned and postponed until Nov. 15 to allow time for the defense and prosecution to gather more information on the case.
The charges stem from an Oct. 13 incident in which Arrington allegedly injured his girlfriend during a dispute over whether or not she would drive him home. According to the police report, Arrington, who had allegedly been drinking in an Ypsilanti bar, took her car and drove himself home against his girlfriend’s wishes.
Arrington, dressed in a pink button-down shirt and black pinstriped pants, arrived at the Washtenaw County 14A-2 District Court at 9 a.m., 30 minutes after his hearing was scheduled to begin. He arrived with his girlfriend and attorney Christopher Easthope. Judge Kirk W. Tabbey presided over the hearing with a robotic efficiency.
Following a conference at the bench between Easthope and the prosecutor, Tabbey agreed to an adjournment until Nov. 15, when a trial date could be set.
Such adjournments are common, Easthope said after the hearing.
Michigan is scheduled to face Ohio State in what will likely be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup three days after Arrington’s next court appearance.
Easthope, who is also an Ann Arbor City Council member, said there was no effort made to schedule the next hearing for after the football season.
Although the charges were brought on behalf of Arrington’s girlfriend, an Eastern Michigan University student, Easthope stressed that she did not intend for the incident to become a domestic violence dispute.
“She did not lodge a complaint about assault,” Easthope said. “She just wanted the police to assist her in finding her car.”
In domestic violence cases, prosecutors can file charges even if the victim doesn’t want to.
Tabbey and the prosecutor agreed to Easthope’s request to allow Arrington to return home to Iowa for the Thanksgiving holiday. Arrangements have also been made to permit Arrington to travel with the football team.
The Cedar Rapids native was twice chastised during the short hearing. A bailiff sternly demanded Arrington take his hands out of his pockets at the hearing’s outset. Moments later, an attorney discreetly took Arrington’s cell phone from him and handed it to his girlfriend to be turned off outside of the courtroom. Cell phones and pagers are not permitted to be on in the courtroom.
After the hearing, Arrington, his girlfriend and Easthope met briefly in the courthouse’s parking lot. Arrington left in the passenger seat of his girlfriend’s red Dodge Durango, the same vehicle mentioned in the police report.
Arrington has already faced punishment from Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr. Carr sat the wide receiver for the first five offensive plays of Saturday’s game against Northwestern. The coach has not ruled out further disciplinary action relating to the matter.
Arrington has 26 catches for 371 yards and five touchdowns on the season. He has been given a larger role since Mario Mannigham’s injury in early October.