Ezekiel Elliott will begin his Cowboys rookie season without the threat of domestic violence charges hanging over him.
Prosecutors in Columbus, Ohio announced in a press releaseobtained by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday that the first-round pick out of Ohio State University would not face criminal charges related to five alleged incidents with ex-girlfriend Tiffany Thompson.
Thompson sparked a police investigation in July when she posted pictures of bruises of her body on Instagram and tagged Elliott. A police report was filed in Columbus against him, which alleged he had been involved in an altercation with a woman in a parked car.
“Just for every women out there getting abused it’s time to put a stop to it,” Thompson wrote in one of two posts, both of which she quickly deleted. “This has been happening to me for months and it finally got out of control to where I was picked up and thrown across the room by my arms. Thrown into walls. Being choked to where I have to gasp for breath. Bruised everywhere, mentally and physically abused.”
The former Buckeyes star denied the accusations and was not arrested after four witnesses reportedly told police that they did not observe any wrongdoing.
In the statement, the Columbus city attorney’s office confirmed that a follow-up with several witnesses and an examination of the evidence concluded “conflicting and inconsistent information across all incidents.”
In July, Elliott’s father, Stacy, labeled the allegations “completely false,” which he reiterated Tuesday on Twitter.
“My son has been vindicated! Truth has prevailed! If he had voliated (sic) one of OUR core values I personally would have had him charged! #Justice”
Elliott, who won the 2015 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award in his third and final season at Ohio State, has received negative attention in addition to the domestic violence allegations. Last month, he was spotted at a marijuana dispensary in Seattle hours before the Cowboys’ preseason game against the Seahawks. Though weed is legal for recreational use in Washington, it is banned in the NFL.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who drafted Elliott with the team’s No. 4 pick, was harshly criticized after he signed disgraced defensive end Greg Hardy to a one-year deal before last season. Jones has opted not to re-sign Hardy, who was convicted in a 2014 bench trial on domestic violence charges that were later dropped.
With Elliott’s name cleared, the Cowboys begin their regular season at home against the Giants on Sunday with minimal off-the-field issues. But with Tony Romo injured, Dallas is forced to start rookie QB Dak Prescott, who will be handing off to Elliott for at least the first few games of the year.
