To ensure that no-one misinterprets my comments - "It is never okay for a male to hit a female." Any man who does so should be punished to the full extent of the law.
A few things to consider if you are interested:
1)The fact that the woman obtained a warrant from a magistrate has no bearing upon whether the incident occurred or not. Police did not witness the event, and the report says Cox left the scene prior to police arrival.
2) Richmond police keep the peace. Misdemeanor disputes between 2 parties are normally left to the "victim" to pursue. On-scene arrests are not the norm (especially late at night & on the weekend) unless there are aggravating circumstances.
3) Generally speaking, misdemeanor battery involves an intentional striking. This can be anything from a push, bump, punch, elbow, hitting with an object etc.
4) As interpreted by a magistrate, Felony battery in Virginia normally consists of either breaking of the skin (such as a cut with a knife), broken bones, or significant battery with a deadly object such as guns, bats, automobiles, etc.
5) Fists can be used to inflict severe damages that can be classified as felony assault & battery.
With the explanations listed above, the fact that the female obtained a misdemeanor assault & battery warrant from a magistrate days after the incident, tells us a lot about what happened. This was a minor disagreement type of altercation. The report indicates that the initial encounter was a mouthing off between 2 females. I strongly suspect that Cox made a serious mistake by inserting himself into the middle of that quagmire. As those of us who have been around awhile know, the "2 intoxicated female fight" is not likely to end well.
If a large, very strong man actually delivered an intentional full force blow to the face of a female in a bar, then most likely the woman would have severe injuries and damage. If she had significant injury, the charge would have been felony assault & batter.
Anyone who follows sports knows that high-profile athletes are ALMOST NEVER held to account for fight type incidents. They are usually never charged, but even when they are, it almost always results in a negotiated dismissal or plea that washes the stain away. Unless there is video, this will ultimately be a one word against the other type of dispute that is negotiated away. If Cox is held to account at all (which is far from a certainty) he will be doing some sort of community service.
This much you can take to the bank, based upon what is known today, Mo Allie Cox will be playing for VCU next season.
Of course, the fact that he will be playing does not mean that the incident didn't impact the team and /or the school.
