Former Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney was found not guilty on felony assault charges by a Dallas jury on Thursday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Gladney was accused of assaulting a 22-year-old woman on April 2, 2021. According to the Minnesota Star-Tribune, the 25-year-old allegedly struck the woman several times “in the side of her ribs, in the stomach and the back,” before hitting her across the head. Gladney also allegedly strangled the woman for nearly five seconds.
He had previously been charged with third-degree felony family violence assault. Gladney’s agents, Brian E. Overstreet and Rodney Williams, shared a statement with Pro Football Network of how the former Minnesota cornerback handled the legal process surrounding his allegations.
“This has been a challenging time for Jeff mentally, spiritually and athletically,” his agents said. “So, we applaud Jeff for having the courage to stand and fight for his freedom versus these false allegations.”
According to the Associated Press, the woman also alleged in the lawsuit filed against Gladney that he tried to bribe and intimidate her to remain quiet.
If Gladney would have been convicted, he would have been sentenced up to 10 years in prison.
The Vikings released Gladney after he was indicted.
