National Football League
Report: Child-abuse charge for Boley
National Football League

Report: Child-abuse charge for Boley

Published May. 2, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

Former New York Giants linebacker Michael Boley reportedly turned himself in to police and was charged with child abuse on Feb. 8, three days after he was released by the NFL team.

According to a TMZ report released early Thursday, the allegations against the 30-year-old Boley were of a physical nature, not sexual.

Boley turned himself in to authorities in Etowah County, Ala., as part of a plea agreement, TMZ reported. He then pled guilty to child abuse as part of a pretrial diversion program, TMZ reported. After completion of that program, the charge against Boley would be dropped.

The Giants were unaware of any pending legal issues with Boley, according to a New York Post report. A source told the Post that the team cut Boley on Feb. 5 based on a football decision.

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The New York Daily News reported that Boley has been accused of child abuse previously, in 2011. That accusation was made by the mother of his then 5-year-old son. Police in Gadsden, Ala., investigated that charge, and then handed the case over to the district attorney. It is not clear if the February arrest is related to those 2011 allegations, the Daily News reported.

Boley, who had a team-high 10 tackles for the Giants in their Super Bowl XLVI victory over the Patriots, appeared in all 16 games last season with 11 starts but was hampered by hamstring, hip and shoulder injuries at various times. He finished third on the team with 84 tackles and had three interceptions, one in each of the first three games.

He had one year and about $4 million left on the five-year, $25 deal he signed when joining the Giants as a free agent in 2009 after four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

“Michael Boley was brought here as a fast, athletic, versatile linebacker,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said at the time of Boley’s release. “We recognized his special skills were in coverage. He's a smart player who made some big plays for us. He was an integral part of our Super Bowl XLVI championship team. Michael played outstanding football down the stretch for us that season.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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