Charges against Joey Porter reduced
- by Grant Boone
- in Sports
- — Jan 13, 2017
The Allegheny County District Attorney's office says it will pursue only summary disorderly conduct and summary public drunkenness charges against Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter after reviewing video of a scuffle Sunday outside a Pittsburgh bar.
Porter, who was placed on administrative leave by the Steelers on Monday after he was arrested Sunday night following an altercation that took place at a South Side establishment, was released Monday morning from jail after posting bail. The aggravated assault, simple assault and resisting arrest charges have been dropped.
The fact Porter now only faces charges of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness could be considered a win for him, not only as a citizen in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but also as an employee of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The length of Porter's leave was not specified, but it's reasonable to expect it will last through this week's divisional matchup against the Kansas City chiefs.
"Our office will proceed on those charges, and barring any additional evidence that is brought forward, we will withdraw the other charges at the appropriate time", Zappala said. In the meantime, Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler is coaching the team's outside linebackers. That's when, according to the criminal complaint, Porter grabbed the officer's wrists "so tightly that I could not pull them away from him, no matter how hard I tried".
"I can see why it can be viewed as such but inside this building it won't be", Tomlin said.
Porter has been on the Steelers coaching staff since 2014. However, acting police Chief Scott Schubert said he believed, after reviewing footage that included Abel's body-worn camera, that the officer "conducted himself in the professional manner that is to be expected" during the arrest.
Pittinger said the board remains interested in reviewing Abel's actions.