De’Andre Johnson issued an apology to members of the FSU football program through his attorney and is “embarrassed” by an incident that led to misdemeanor battery charge.
Johnson was charged after allegedly striking a woman at a Tallahassee nightclub in late June. The state attorney’s office released footage from a security camera on Monday of Johnson and the woman engaging in a physical struggle at a bar. The incident ended when the woman struck Johnson and he retaliated with a forceful punch that left the woman with bruising under her left eye, swelling to her left cheek and upper lip, and a small cut on her nose.
“While it is clear from the video that De’Andre Johnson was not the initial aggressor, his family wants to take the lead in helping him learn and grow from this experience,” Johnson’s attorney, Jose Baez, said in a statement to the Sentinel. “He is currently participating in community service, and faith-based programs focused on battered women, substance abuse, and the empowerment of children.
“De’Andre is extremely embarrassed by this situation and would like to express his heartfelt apologies to everyone, including those who were directly affected, Coach Fisher and his teammates, the entire Florida State University community, as well as his family and friends.”
FSU suspended Johnson, 19, indefinitely the day after the altercation and his status has not changed.
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