Hornets' Jeff Taylor pleads guilty to domestic violence, league still investigating
Charlotte Hornets forward Jeff Taylor pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence and malicious destruction of property Wednesday, reports Cleve R. Wootson Jr. of the Charlotte Observer.
The charges stem from an incident on Sept. 25, when Taylor was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend and an employee at the Marriott Hotel in East Lansing, Mich. He was also accused of damaging somewhere between $200 and $1,000 worth of hotel property.
Taylor reportedly admitted in court Wednesday to having pushed his girlfriend into the wall at the hotel, the impact of which was the apparent because of the property damage.
According to Wootson, court documents indicate that Taylor and prosecutors agreed on a deal Tuesday, which involved the charge of assault and battery against the hotel employee being dropped. Pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge has the potential to save Taylor from league punishment, as the current language of the collective bargaining agreement only authorizes suspensions for felony accounts.
The Hornets banned Taylor from all team activities following the news of the incident and arrest back in September, and have not made a decision on the 25-year-old's future with the team. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said Wednesday that the league is aware of the plea and is still investigating the matter.
Taylor still faces up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine, according to Lansing news station WILX.