Skip to content
NOWCAST Pittsburgh's Action News 4 at 7pm on Cozi TV
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Attorney for man who claimed NFL star Aaron Donald assaulted him in South Side apologizes

NFL star's attorney says surveillance video disproves allegations

Attorney for man who claimed NFL star Aaron Donald assaulted him in South Side apologizes

NFL star's attorney says surveillance video disproves allegations

MIKE: TODD HOLLIS IS APOLOGIZING TONIGHT AFTER CLAIMING AARON DONA ASSAULTED DIVISION SPRIGS WHO WAS REPRESENT IN. HE SPOKE WITH PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 TONIGHT CONFIRMING THAT HE WATCHED SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, SAYING IT’S CLEAR THAT DONALD WAS TRYING TO BREAK UP A FIGHT. TONIGHT HE SAYS HE’S EXTENDING AN APOLOGY TO AARON DONALD FOR ANY PROBLEMS THE ACCUSATION CAUSE. THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, CASEY WHITE IS THE ATTORNEY. HE SAYS THE CROWD OF PEOPLE YOU SEE FIGHTING WAS DEFENDING DONALD FROM SPRIGS. THE VIDEO SHOW SOMEONE IN THE CROWD THROWING SPRIGS TO THE GROUND. YOU SEE AARON DONALD COMING IN TO HELP BY PULLING PEOPLE OFF OF SPRIGS. >> HE SWINGS WITH HIS RIGHT HAND. HE HAS A LUMP ON HIS HEAD. MIKE: NO ONE IS CHARGED I
Advertisement
Attorney for man who claimed NFL star Aaron Donald assaulted him in South Side apologizes

NFL star's attorney says surveillance video disproves allegations

UPDATE (11 p.m. Friday) The attorney for the man who claimed NFL star and Penn Hills native Aaron Donald assaulted him in Pittsburgh’s South Side last weekend is apologizing Friday evening. Todd Hollis, the attorney for De’Vincent Spriggs, confirmed to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that he watched the surveillance video and is satisfied that Donald was breaking up the fight. UPDATE: Surveillance video shows that Aaron Donald did not assault a man on Pittsburgh's South Side last weekend, an attorney for the NFL star said Friday.Watch the surveillance video obtained by Pittsburgh's Action News 4 in the video player above. Attorney Casey White also said that a Pittsburgh police detective who is investigating the claims made by De'Vincent Spriggs agrees there is no evidence from the video that shows Donald assaulting the man. Police have not independently confirmed White's statement.White said the surveillance video is from Wrights Way, behind the apartments where the incident happened early Sunday morning.Donald went from being restrained to pulling people off a pile in the altercation, which helped save Spriggs from further injury, according to White's description of the video.Donald removed himself from the situation, went home for the night, and later learned through social media and the news that Spriggs had an attorney and intended to press charges, White said.Pittsburgh police continue to investigate and have not said whether any charges will be filed. PREVIOUS STORY: A man claims star NFL defensive lineman and Penn Hills native Aaron Donald assaulted him at a nightclub in Pittsburgh's South Side.Now, the man's attorney, Todd Hollis, wants charges to be filed, claiming De'Vincent Spriggs suffered a broken eye socket, broken nose, concussion and possibly a broken arm.Hollis said Spriggs, accidentally bumped into Donald at a nightclub, then Donald allegedly hit Spriggs before he was allegedly hit by others as well."There were other people that were part of it but we haven't identified them."Spriggs was seen walking with Hollis to Pittsburgh Police Zone 3.The alleged assault happened Saturday into Sunday night at a place Hollis called the Boom Boom Room nightclub.Hollis did not speak to whether his client defended himself or if attempts were made to contact Donald's attorney. "This is not an eye for an eye justice. This is an assault. So no manner of money at this point would justify what you see here to Mr. Spriggs," Hollis said.Hollis said the first step is filing the complaint with police. Pittsburgh defense attorney Casey White confirmed he is representing Donald and told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 he can talk “in the near future.”Pittsburgh police said in a blotter post on Wednesday that they were called to UPMC Mercy Hospital on Sunday around 1 p.m. for a man who wanted to report an assault. Police said officers spoke with a male victim with facial injuries and an injury to one arm who said it happened in a bar somewhere on the South Side. Pittsburgh Police do not name alleged victims of crime or the accused unless there are charges that have been filed.Police said the victim told officers he did not know the exact location or time of day it occurred. He told police he accidentally bumped into another male at the bar who confronted him verbally. He says that male and another ended up punching and kicking him. The complainant admits to throwing a bottle of alcohol, but didn’t know if he had hit anyone.Police said there were no 911 calls for this incident and the investigation was handed over to Zone 3 detectives.On Wednesday, police said plainclothes detectives from Zone 3 took a report from the complainant and his attorney about an alleged assault they say occurred on the 1700 block of East Carson Street on the weekend. Police said detectives are reviewing the complaint and are consulting with the District Attorney’s office which will determine whether charges are warranted against the accused individual. They are also reviewing any available video footage.

UPDATE (11 p.m. Friday)

The attorney for the man who claimed NFL star and Penn Hills native Aaron Donald assaulted him in Pittsburgh’s South Side last weekend is apologizing Friday evening.

Advertisement

Todd Hollis, the attorney for De’Vincent Spriggs, confirmed to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that he watched the surveillance video and is satisfied that Donald was breaking up the fight.


UPDATE: Surveillance video shows that Aaron Donald did not assault a man on Pittsburgh's South Side last weekend, an attorney for the NFL star said Friday.

Watch the surveillance video obtained by Pittsburgh's Action News 4 in the video player above.

Attorney Casey White also said that a Pittsburgh police detective who is investigating the claims made by De'Vincent Spriggs agrees there is no evidence from the video that shows Donald assaulting the man. Police have not independently confirmed White's statement.

White said the surveillance video is from Wrights Way, behind the apartments where the incident happened early Sunday morning.

Donald went from being restrained to pulling people off a pile in the altercation, which helped save Spriggs from further injury, according to White's description of the video.

Donald removed himself from the situation, went home for the night, and later learned through social media and the news that Spriggs had an attorney and intended to press charges, White said.

Pittsburgh police continue to investigate and have not said whether any charges will be filed.


PREVIOUS STORY: A man claims star NFL defensive lineman and Penn Hills native Aaron Donald assaulted him at a nightclub in Pittsburgh's South Side.

Now, the man's attorney, Todd Hollis, wants charges to be filed, claiming De'Vincent Spriggs suffered a broken eye socket, broken nose, concussion and possibly a broken arm.

Hollis said Spriggs, accidentally bumped into Donald at a nightclub, then Donald allegedly hit Spriggs before he was allegedly hit by others as well.

"There were other people that were part of it but we haven't identified them."

Spriggs was seen walking with Hollis to Pittsburgh Police Zone 3.

The alleged assault happened Saturday into Sunday night at a place Hollis called the Boom Boom Room nightclub.

Hollis did not speak to whether his client defended himself or if attempts were made to contact Donald's attorney.

"This is not an eye for an eye justice. This is an assault. So no manner of money at this point would justify what you see here to Mr. Spriggs," Hollis said.

Hollis said the first step is filing the complaint with police.

Pittsburgh defense attorney Casey White confirmed he is representing Donald and told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 he can talk “in the near future.”

Pittsburgh police said in a blotter post on Wednesday that they were called to UPMC Mercy Hospital on Sunday around 1 p.m. for a man who wanted to report an assault.

Police said officers spoke with a male victim with facial injuries and an injury to one arm who said it happened in a bar somewhere on the South Side.

Pittsburgh Police do not name alleged victims of crime or the accused unless there are charges that have been filed.

Police said the victim told officers he did not know the exact location or time of day it occurred. He told police he accidentally bumped into another male at the bar who confronted him verbally. He says that male and another ended up punching and kicking him. The complainant admits to throwing a bottle of alcohol, but didn’t know if he had hit anyone.

Police said there were no 911 calls for this incident and the investigation was handed over to Zone 3 detectives.

On Wednesday, police said plainclothes detectives from Zone 3 took a report from the complainant and his attorney about an alleged assault they say occurred on the 1700 block of East Carson Street on the weekend.

Police said detectives are reviewing the complaint and are consulting with the District Attorney’s office which will determine whether charges are warranted against the accused individual. They are also reviewing any available video footage.