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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills pass-rusher Von Miller said Thursday the allegations that he assaulted his pregnant girlfriend are “100 percent false” and “overblown.”
Miller spoke with media for the first time since the assault is alleged to have taken place on Nov. 29 in suburban Dallas during the team’s bye week. He turned himself in to the Glenn Heights (Texas) Police Department on Nov. 30 on an arrest warrant for a charge of third-degree felony assault of a pregnant woman. He was booked into the DeSoto Tri-City Jail that afternoon before being released on $5,000 bond.
“Obviously, there are things that I can’t talk about but everything that was out is completely wrong and blown out of proportion,” Miller said. “Me and my girlfriend, we have problems just like any other couple does but there has never been any of those things that was alleged against me. Hopefully, over time all of this stuff will get cleared up. Sometimes life just … be life-ing. You’ve just got to keep pushing and keep moving. The people who know me and the people who have been around me know my character, they know who I am.”
When asked what specifically surrounding the allegations is untrue, Miller said, “All of it is incorrect and all of it is untrue. The only thing that is true is we do have a third son on the way. … Everything else is untrue.” Miller said there has never been an instance of domestic violence in his relationship.
Per the affidavit for the arrest warrant obtained by ESPN, the woman and Miller have been in a relationship for seven years and have children together. She told police that she was six weeks pregnant at the time.
Per the affidavit, the woman told Miller she was going to call the police, which prompted him to leave the residence. The affidavit detailed that the allegations include Miller putting a hand, and later both hands, on the woman’s neck for about three to five seconds, pulling her hair and trying to shove her while she was attempting to gather her things and leave after he told her to get out of the apartment even though they both live there.
When asked whether he and his girlfriend got into a fight that day, Miller said, “Honestly, I wasn’t on social media before and definitely not on social media now. But from the things that have been brought to my attention, everything is false. And I would love to sit here and say, ‘Y’all know me!’ But it’s not, this is not that type of situation because domestic violence really happens around the world — for men and women. And it’s a serious situation so I would not pull that card. All I can say is it is just a matter of time before everything gets set straight.”
Police arrived at the condominium, observed “minor abrasions” on the woman’s left hand and bruising to her neck, “injuries consistent with applied pressure the neck,” in addition to bruising to her abdomen and left biceps. The injuries were documented when police took photographs that day.
When reached for an update on the case, the Dallas Police Department deferred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, which has yet to respond to ESPN’s request for comment.
“Me and my relationship with my girlfriend is the same — we’ve got three kids, and everything is normal in that respect,” Miller said when asked if he’s in communication with the police. “And everything was blown out of proportion that day. It was just a crazy day … whatever happened, I hate it happened, I hate my name is attached to anything like that and it’s just a matter of time until I can clear it up.”
Miller signed a six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills in 2022. He has played in 11 games this season, including the past three since the events are alleged to have taken place, and continues to work his way back from right ACL surgery that took place over a year ago. General manager Brandon Beane said earlier this month the team was following the lead of the NFL and that “it’s an open investigation and so we’ll just, we’ll let the legal process play out.”
Miller said he has been completely transparent with the Bills on everything that is going on with him since he started communicating with the team back in 2022.
“I was 100 percent truthful with Brandon Beane, Coach [Sean] McDermott and the NFL, the investigators and [Bills co-owner Terry Pegula]. I was 100 percent transparent with everything that happened that day from start to finish,” he said.
Source: www.espn.com