Adrian Peterson Won’t Face Felony Domestic Violence Charges

Editor’s note, May 3, 10:30 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect a Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office spokesperson’s announcing the decision of Adrian Peterson’s case.

Adrian Peterson has agreed to complete 20 sessions of domestic violence and alcohol counseling following his February arrest on suspicion of domestic violence, a Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office spokesperson told reporters Monday.

Peterson agreed to the sessions during a pre-filing hearing Friday as an alternative to prosecution, spokesman Rob Wilcox said, per ESPN. He must complete the sessions within the next six months.

The update in Peterson’s case comes after the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office decided not to charge him in February, as first reported by The Washington Post. The case then fell to the City Attorney’s Office, who was considering whether to charge him with a misdemeanor.

The veteran running back was arrested Feb. 13 after Los Angeles International Airport police were called about possible domestic violence onboard an aircraft, which was departing to Houston. The airport police division’s public information officer previously said in a statement to Sports Illustrated that the plane “had to return to the gate due to a verbal and physical altercation between a male suspect and a female victim.” 

Peterson’s wife, Ashley, posted a statement on Instagram about the matter, saying, “On Sunday, Adrian and I had a verbal argument. Unfortunately, it was on an airplane. At no point did Adrian hit or strike me. This is a private matter between my husband and myself. We ask that everyone respect our privacy so we can focus on what matters most: our children.”

The NFL veteran told Fox 26’s Mark Berman that the news concerning his arrest and charge was “blown out of proportion.” He described the incident, saying, “They were like, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Peterson, but because she had a scratch on her finger, [in] the state of California, we have to take you in.’ I sit there and watch the plane pull back and take off, and I’m just like, ‘Wow! I cannot believe this is happening right now. I’m going to jail, and I literally didn’t do anything.’”

The 36-year-old said the argument was “the gist of it,” but that he did take “her ring off her finger.” It left a scratch. His wife did not press charges.

“The state of California pressed charges because there was a scratch on her hand. Literally that’s why I went to jail, because the ring left a scratch on her finger.”

The running back was previously arrested and indicted in 2014 on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child after authorities said he hit his 4-year-old son with a switch. He pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of misdemeanor reckless assault and was suspended that November without pay for the remainder of the 2014 NFL season.