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Updated 16 minutes ago
Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter pleaded guilty Tuesday to a summary count of disorderly conduct related to an East Carson Street fracas last month.
Originally charged with aggravated assault for grabbing the wrists of a Pittsburgh police officer, Porter's citation amounts to a traffic ticket and carries a $300 fine.
Porter's attorney, Robert Del Greco, called the Jan. 9 incident following the Steelers' playoff win over the Miami Dolphins a “chaotic scrum” in which 10 people “bull-rushed” Porter and pinned him against a parked car.
The incident was sparked by a bouncer's refusal to let Porter into The Flats, a bar along East Carson.
“At that time, Joey's reaction was to unintentionally and momentarily grab the wrists of a police officer,” Del Greco said. “He grabbed the wrists of the police officer not realizing he was a police officer, and he regrets it.”
The officer, Paul Abel, said during the brief court proceeding that he did not agree with dropping the most serious charges, a move made by the Allegheny County District Attorney's office shortly after the incident.
“Apparently Officer Abel has a disagreement with them in that regard,” Del Greco said.
A public drunkenness charge also was dropped. Porter contends he was not drunk.
Del Greco declined to comment on whether he believed authorities charged Porter with offenses that were more serious than the actual crime.
The original criminal complaint noted Porter argued with Abel following their initial contact, calling him a liar and saying, “I never touched you.” Del Greco said that means Porter was unaware he had grabbed an officer.
“(Only) after seeing the video did he realize he, in fact, touched (Abel) in the context of that scrum,” Del Greco said.
Porter did not speak before or after the proceedings.
Another of Porter's attorneys, Albert Veverka, said the NFL will conduct an investigation. League officials have not reached out to Porter or reviewed the footage recorded by Abel's body-worn camera.
“We hope through reviewing the video, through what happened today, the NFL will take into account nobody was injured and this was what amounts to a traffic offense, and the NFL will act accordingly,” Veverka said.
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