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Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna has agreed to participate in a diversion program that may result in his domestic violence case being dismissed.
Ozuna agreed to the pre-trial resolution on Thursday, more than three months after being arrested for assault for allegedly assaulting his wife. He faces domestic violence and common assault charges, but Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Simone Hylton on Thursday said those charges would be dropped if Ozuna met the conditions of the resolution within six months. .
Ozuna has been placed under six-month supervision and is scheduled to complete a 24-week domestic violence intervention program, which includes an anger management course and a psychological assessment component, according to Hylton. He must also perform 200 hours of community service, refrain from using illegal drugs and avoid contact with his wife.
Hylton also said the six-month supervision would end after three months if Ozuna met all the conditions earlier.
“I hope once it’s finished I won’t see you again,” Fulton County Examining Magistrate Brandy Brooks told Ozuna on a Zoom call, according to The Atlanta Journal- Constitution.
Ozuna’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 13. His attorney, Michael LaScala, told the Journal-Constitution that the pre-trial diversion program is a “fair resolution for both the state and my client.”
Ozuna, 30, was arrested on May 29 after police officers in suburban Atlanta, Sandy Springs, said they saw him attack his wife, Genesis, while he was answering a 911 call. Initial charges included assault aggravated by strangulation, but prosecutors dropped the felony charge in July.
LaScala said Thursday that Ozuna should never have been charged with a felony and told Journal-Constitution the outfielder “couldn’t wait to put this behind him.”
Ozuna could still face a lengthy suspension by Major League Baseball, which is re-examining his case under the common domestic violence policy in place between MLB and the players’ union. He re-signed with Atlanta after a stellar first season with the Braves in 2020, agreeing to a four-year, $ 65 million contract.
Ozuna has not played since he injured his fingers in a game against Boston on May 25, four days before his arrest. He has been on the 10-day injured list since May 28.
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