Miami Dolphins

BROWARD COURTS

Chad Johnson gets one-year probation for head butting ex-wife

 
 

Chad Johnson
Chad Johnson
Jeff Daly/Invision/AP / AP

dchang@MiamiHerald.com

Friday capped a busy week in Broward courts for former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chad Johnson.

Johnson, 34, struck a deal with Broward prosecutors Friday by pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence for allegedly head butting his ex-wife, reality TV star Evelyn Lozada, in the head during a dispute at their Davie home in August.

Under the agreement, Johnson will avoid jail time and instead will serve one year probation, complete batterers’ intervention counseling, and pay restitution for court and medical costs, said Johnson’s defense attorney, Adam Swickle. Johnson also was ordered not to contact Lozada by any means, though he has said he wants to reconcile their relationship.

“This was a plea of convenience in order to put this behind him,’’ Swickle said.

Prosecutor Sarahnell Murphy told the judge at Friday morning’s hearing that Lozada did not want Johnson to go to jail.

Police arrested the six-time Pro Bowl receiver on Aug. 11 after Lozada said Johnson head-butted her during an argument over a receipt she found for a box of condoms. Police said Lozada suffered a laceration on her forehead, and she was taken to a hospital for treatment.

After his arrest, Johnson’s career and marriage unraveled.

The Miami Dolphins cut him from the team the following day, and Lozada filed for divorce — after about one month of marriage. The couple’s plans for a reality TV show together also were scrapped.

Johnson and Lozada finalized their divorce on Wednesday, said Swickle, who also represented Johnson in that matter.

“The divorce was a very simple divorce,’’ he said. “They had a prenuptial agreement, which of course governed the resolution.’’

The terms of the prenuptial agreement are confidential, Swickle said.

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