Golfer Scottie Scheffler saw felony charges against him dropped this week related to an incident with Louisville police at the PGA Championship in May. However, his lawyer Steve Romines got into a heated exchange with a reporter while discussing bodycam footage from the arrest.
Scheffler was initially charged with four crimes, including felony assault, for injuries sustained by detective Bryan Gillis during a confrontation outside the tournament venue. Gillis had approached Scheffler's vehicle after the golfer was driving the wrong way on a road.
On Wednesday, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell moved to dismiss all charges, saying evidence did not support a criminal case. While Romines welcomed the decision, he criticized how Scheffler was treated by police that day.
At a press conference, reporter Natalia Martinez of WAVE News suggested Scheffler's recollection differed from what he said in the bodycam video after being read his Miranda rights. In the video, Scheffler acknowledged Gillis suffered scrapes and bruises.
But Romines strongly rejected the notion. "No, here’s what happened," the lawyer argued. "He is being interrogated after the most stressful situation of his life. And an officer is actually asking him leading questions and trying to get him to agree with them. And that’s why you don’t talk to the police because they are going to try to put words in your mouth! That’s exactly what they did.
"He didn’t have to speak, but again, he asked to talk to the officer. He wanted to explain to him what happened. However, they are trying to get him to confess to something that he didn’t do, and the video evidence shows he didn’t do it."
Romines accused Gillis of asking leading questions to get Scheffler to agree to a false narrative. He also noted Scheffler did not have to speak but wanted to explain his actions.
Outside footage backed up Scheffler's version that Gillis reached into his car window abruptly. Still, the charges were a difficult episode for the world's top-ranked golfer in the midst of his PGA title defense.
Both Scheffler and Gillis have since said they want to move forward without ill will. But Romines' fiery exchange with the reporter showed tensions still linger around the case against golf star Scottie Scheffler.
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