The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in September that the former stand-out quarterback (QB) for Texas Christian University (TCU) and the Seattle Seahawks got indicted for aggravated assault that caused serious bodily injury.
Trevone Boykin, 24, was first arrested in Mansfield back in March and booked into the Tarrant County Jail. After posting a $25,000 bond the following night, he was released.
The allegations
The former Horned Frog quarterback’s troubles allegedly began on March 21. In Dallas, the staff at Parkland Hospital contacted the Mansfield Police Department regarding a suspected assault on the footballer’s girlfriend. Police officers responded and took a statement from the victim.
The Seahawks player reportedly broke his girlfriend’s jaw, causing her to have to get it wired closed. When team management learned of the allegations, they cut Boykin from the team’s roster.
In Texas, a conviction for aggravated assault — a second-degree felony —can result in a prison sentence of two years to two decades.
The potential evidence
The detectives investigating the assault reportedly seized video images of the alleged attack on Boykin’s girlfriend from security footage at his residence.
At this time, the Tarrant County district attorney’s office refused to make any comments about the case other than to confirm Boykin was indeed indicted.
Not the first offense
Boykin tangled with law enforcement in the past. During his senior football season at TCU, the quarterback got arrested after a San Antonio bar brawl. He supposedly punched a law enforcement officer on New Year’s Eve of 2015. The incident allegedly occurred just a couple of days before his team was scheduled to compete in the Alamo Bowl.
Boykin wound up taking a no-contest plea for resisting arrest later the following year. The court sentenced him to a year of deferred adjudication probation.
In March of last year, he got arrested in Dallas. He reportedly was a passenger in a vehicle that struck seven bystanders outside of the Sidebar as well as the bar itself. He was jailed for public intoxication and suspicion of marijuana possession.
The presumption of innocence
It’s important to note that Boykin denies the latest assault allegations. Under the law, he is presumed innocent until he is proven guilty in a criminal trial.
While video evidence can be quite compelling in a criminal case of assault, it should also be noted that sometimes it can be misleading. The accused and the alleged victim may move out of the frame for seconds or minutes, and it is impossible to determine what took place during those critical times. A resourceful and experienced criminal defense attorney can often challenge the veracity of evidence and bring about an acquittal, a hung jury or even the dismissal of charges.