Vikings cut cornerback Jeff Gladney after he's indicted on domestic violence assault charge in Texas for 'beating and choking his girlfriend'
The Minnesota Vikings have waived cornerback Jeff Gladney after he was indicted on third-degree felony domestic violence assault charges in Texas on Tuesday.
He's charged with domestic violence by impeding breathing, for 'intentionally, knowingly and recklessly' causing bodily injury and applying pressure to the alleged victim's neck and throat, according to the indictment.
The altercation grew out of an argument and took place over a span of more than two hours, according to a $1 million civil suit recently filed against Gladney by the former girlfriend. She also alleged in the suit he tried to bribe and intimidate her into keeping quiet.
No court date has been scheduled yet.
Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf, who addressed reporters on a variety of subjects surrounding the team on Tuesday, called the allegations against Gladney 'very disturbing and something that's concerning to us as ownership and to our organization.'
Gladney could face between 2 and 10 years in prison if convicted. He has not addressed the accusations publicly.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney has been indicted on third-degree felony domestic violence assault charges in Texas. Gladney, 24, was accused of beating his girlfriend in Dallas last April after an alleged argument over text messages she received on her cell phone. The woman told police she was hit, choked, and dragged by her hair during the altercation.
In April, CBS 11 News said a 22-year-old woman told police she got into an altercation with Gladney in a vehicle when he demanded to see text messages on her phone. Sources told CBS the accuser threw her phone out the window, but Gladney stopped to retrieve it.
According to the arrest affidavit, Gladney tried 'shoving face toward her phone to try to use the phone's Face ID to unlock' and was 'pulling by the hair trying to hold her still in order to get the Face ID to work.'
The accuser told police Gladney struck her 'with closed fists causing pain in the side of her ribs, in the stomach and the back,' according to the arrest report. She said Gladney later 'began strangling by the neck' and 'dragged across the ground' by her hair.
Detectives documented bruising on the woman's head, ears and torso, plus scratches on her face and neck, per the report.
Gladney, a 2020 first-round draft pick, played college football at TCU in nearby Fort Worth. He played all 16 games (15 starts) for the Vikings last season, tallying 81 tackles and one forced fumble.
Gladney, a 2020 first-round draft pick, played college football at TCU in Fort Worth. He played all 16 games (15 starts) for the Vikings last season, tallying 81 tackles and one forced fumble