Alabama Football Spring Practice Day 4
Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Taylor (53) was dismissed from the team Sunday.
(Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com)
With a court date looming in Georgia, these are complicated times for Jonathan Taylor's legal matters.
Set to be arraigned Tuesday in Athens, Ga., on felony charges dating back to 2014 a domestic violence arrest, the former Alabama football player's Tuscaloosa case took a turn Wednesday. Three days after being dismissed from the Crimson Tide football team, his accuser on a separate domestic violence case recanted her story.
It was Taylor's arrest Saturday that led to Nick Saban's swift decision to remove him from the roster. But Taylor's attorney in the Georgia case said reinstatement to the Alabama program should be considered.
"I certainly would hope so," Athens attorney Kim Stephens told AL.com on Wednesday evening. "My thought, from an outside perspective, in light of all the backlash, that coach Saban and university took as a result of the false accusations that were made and the removal from the team, I think it would be hard for him to take (Taylor) back on the team in spite of the recantation.
"But I think fairness would dictate that they'd reconsider and at least talk to the accuser or former accuser in the case, then make a decision based on that."
A spokesman for Alabama's football team said Wednesday morning he was unsure if reinstatement was possible in light of the news.
Taylor's 24-year old girlfriend had marks on her neck from Saturday's alleged incident, according to the police report. But she changed her story Monday and was arrested Tuesday for filing a false report. The misdemeanor domestic violence charges have not been dropped and the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit will continue the investigation.
The recantation of accusations should help Taylor in the short term in the Georgia case. Stephens said before the Tuscaloosa accuser changed her story, there was a possibility the state could have revoked his bond and sent him to jail pending trial. It's still in the realm of possibilities, but less likely in light of Wednesday's news.
"Obviously (Taylor's) concerned," Stephens said. "He's upset as anyone would be when they've been accused of doing something they didn't do and the ramifications in light of his circumstances are huge. Not only has he been removed from the football team, he could be expelled from college, which would compromise his future. He could be prohibited from pursuing a professional career if he's good enough to do that."
Back in Georgia, the felony aggravated assault and domestic violence case also remains. Prosecutors could use the Tuscaloosa case as evidence in the initial trial, so the outcome is crucial. Taylor will enter a not-guilty plea at Tuesday's arraignment.
"I would hope that we could get something worked out," Stephens said. "But if we can't and it goes all the way to a trial, it could take anywhere from nine months to 18 months before it ever reached that point."
That July 2014 arrest led to his dismissal from the Georgia football team. He played at a junior college last fall before arriving at Alabama in January. Saban defended giving Taylor a second chance while setting strict guidelines to for him to stay on the team.