Chapman Won’t Face Criminal Charge, But MLB Could Still Suspend

Prosecutors in Broward County in Florida will not file criminal charges against Aroldis Chapman over an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend last October, but MLB’s investigation remains ongoing.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office revealed the decision Thursday, the Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

Broward Assistant State Attorney Stefanie Newman said conflicting accounts and insufficient evidence made a conviction unlikely.

“We are all pleased that the Davie Police Department and the Office of the State Attorney took the time to fully investigate the matter and have concluded that charges were not warranted,” Chapman’s lawyer, Paul Molle, told the newspaper.

Chapman still faces discipline from Major League Baseball, however, as a spokesman said the league’s investigation is “ongoing.”

Chapman—traded to the Yankees by the Reds in late December for four players including New York’s No. 6 prospect, Rookie Davis—allegedly choked and pushed his girlfriend during a birthday party for a friend at Chapman’s Miami-area home, according to a memo from the Broward County State Attorney’s Office.

That information came to light when the Dodgers were pursuing a deal for the hard-throwing, lefthanded closer. That deal was scuttled because of the incident, which also included—according to the memo—Chapman firing a gun eight times in his garage.

The Yankees, however, made a deal with the Reds, saying they’d done their due diligence on Chapman’s alleged actions.

“We did as much research as we possibly could, and that’s what I’m going to do any time I’m looking to get rid of some of my good young talent or spend $100 million signing a free agent,” Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters Wednesday.