Bruce Maxwell reaches plea deal on Arizona assault charge
Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell reached a plea deal with the state of Arizona on his felony charges of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. The plea agreement, which was revealed in a statement released by the Athletics on Friday, requires Maxwell to plead guilty to disorderly conduct, a class 6 undesignated offense, and complete community service. He will also receive probation. The sentencing will be on June 4.
The Athletics also released statements from Maxwell and A’s general manager David Forst.
Statement from Bruce Maxwell
“Accepting responsibility is the first step in working to make amends for my lapse in judgment. I am truly sorry for the pain that my actions have caused, and while they are not representative of who I am, I understand that I have to earn back the trust and respect of those around me.“
Statement from David Forst, A’s General Manager
“I am pleased Bruce has taken responsibility for his actions. We expect our players to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the standards of the Oakland Athletics. His conduct in this incident did not live up to that. We have communicated with him throughout the legal process about our expectations as a representative of the organization. I believe he has already begun the work of making amends for his actions and look forward to his continued positive contributions to our community.”
The incident in question happened in late October, when Maxwell allegedly pointed a gun in the face of a woman who came to his Arizona home to deliver food. She called the police, who arrived on the scene and eventually arrested Maxwell. He was charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct, and he initially pled not guilty to both charges.
Maxwell came into the national spotlight at the end of the 2017 baseball season when he became the first MLB player to kneel during the national anthem. The Athletics supported his decision, though Maxwell said he would not continue to kneel during the 2018 season.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
