Willie McGinest hit with two felony assault charges for attack caught on video

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Former NFL linebacker and NFL Network commentator Willie McGinest has been charged with two felonies by Los Angeles County prosecutors after an attack on a man in December.

McGinest has been charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, according to TMZ.com. Each charge carries up to four years in prison.

Video caught on restaurant security cameras shows a man seemingly sitting at a table minding his own business when a group of men including McGinest begin mercilessly beating him, and at one point McGinest appears to hit the man with a bottle.

McGinest issued a detailed apology a couple weeks later in which he said, “I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility,” and “I am embarrassed and regret what occurred” and “I am disappointed in myself.” So McGinest is not denying it’s him in the video, and not offering any kind of defense for his actions.

NFL Network suspended McGinest after he was arrested and he hasn’t been on the air since.

28 responses to “Willie McGinest hit with two felony assault charges for attack caught on video

  1. This completes the NFL crime blog trifecta.
    You’ve got an incoming player, current players, and now a former player all being charged this week.
    And not to be out done by their players, you’ve also got the assault lawsuit against an owner.
    Well done everybody.

  2. I wonder what the guy did? Still, no excuse. Just would love to know what set off the beating.

  3. It wasn’t even a fight. It was a premeditated attack on an individual by 5 guys. Society is better off if he’s locked up for the full 8 years— along with the others.

  4. I always thought that McGinest had his act together…until this. What ever caused him and his cronies to ambush a guy that way cost him his job and maybe his freedom. Senseless.

  5. A long jail term is very appropriate for this case but alas since he’s famous nothing will happen to him. Slap on the wrist is coming book it.

  6. Think about the Children!!!!!! I wonder if LB still has a day for him.

    McGinest established the Willie McGinest Freedom School, a program that aims to provide social and cultural enrichment for neighborhood youth. On May 3, 2005, the city council of Long Beach declared that every year, May 3 will be recognized as Willie McGinest Day in recognition of his charitable efforts and civic involvement. During the 2004 holiday season, McGinest sponsored “Shop with a Jock”, an event that gave 50 Boston-area children the opportunity to go on a $100 shopping spree with his teammates and him. He went on to sponsor a similar event in the Cleveland area with Browns teammates.

  7. McGinest has to be around 50. Who acts this way in the 50’s? At any age is wrong ofc, but come on man you shoulda grown out of this mentality decades ago

  8. The only thing he’s got going for him is that he accepted full responsibility and isn’t trying to worm out of it somehow. ‘Course, there’s not many other options when it’s all on video…

  9. Instead of asking why he did it one should be asking if he is getting help for his lack of self control.

  10. Stop sugar coating this man. Watch the video. This could easily have been a homicide.

  11. Would love to know the reason for the beatdown but I’ll bet heavily alcohol was involved. People due terrible things when drunk they would never do sober.

  12. Still say, the guy they pummeled may be the toughest guy I’ve ever seen. To take those shots from guys that are the size they are and not even blink???? Crazy

  13. The assault looked bad, but was it that bad? They walked away and the guy got up, sat back down at the table and looked like he was ready for the dessert menu. I have a lot of questions about this situation. Who was the victim? What did he do to receive the beating? How did he shake it off like it happens all the time? I think Willie deserves punishment, but in today’s society he will get off light in exchange for donating time and money to certain causes. And then he will get even less than that because in 2023 our society frowns on punishing criminals. Kind of surprised the victim hasnt been charged with inciting a riot

  14. But, but , but I said I was sorry! Grown men doing things that troubled teens with no impulse control do …is pathetic

  15. After watching the video, I thought the blows weren’t as bad as they could have been and it looked like Willie was just giving him some noogies on the head with the bottle. He wasn’t swinging it hard or breaking it on his head. It was mostly peaceful. I think he was just doing a short rapid fire “tap tap tap” to give him some bumps. The guy did not act like this was entirely out of the blue, or a random assault. He seemed to have an idea as to why it happened and then sat back down and finished his dinner. He was not that big either. I’m guessing he cut in line to get into the place, maybe had words with one of the guys, of there is a woman involved with the victim and one of Willie’s crew. Too bad. I like Willie. Felonies sound a bit harsh for what I saw, though what I saw was certainly a surprise given what I know about Willie.

  16. thaswussup says:
    March 3, 2023 at 12:40 pm
    After watching the video, I thought the blows weren’t as bad as they could have been and it looked like Willie was just giving him some noogies on the head with the bottle. He wasn’t swinging it hard or breaking it on his head. It was mostly peaceful. I think he was just doing a short rapid fire “tap tap tap” to give him some bumps. The guy did not act like this was entirely out of the blue, or a random assault. He seemed to have an idea as to why it happened and then sat back down and finished his dinner. He was not that big either. I’m guessing he cut in line to get into the place, maybe had words with one of the guys, of there is a woman involved with the victim and one of Willie’s crew. Too bad. I like Willie. Felonies sound a bit harsh for what I saw, though what I saw was certainly a surprise given what I know about Willie

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    I know understand why PFF rates patriot fans the most ignorant. And please tell us how you know Willie?

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