Police have released video from an officer’s body-worn camera showing the moment that prompted Sandy Springs police to arrest Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcelle Ozuna during a May 29 domestic dispute.
The video shows an officer approach Ozuna’s front door, which was open. The video briefly shows Ozuna’s right hand on his wife’s neck.
“Get your hands off of her!” the officer shouts. “Get on the ground, get on the ground!”
Ozuna complied with the commands.
With the arrest hanging over his head — plus two dislocated fingers on his left hand – Ozuna did not take part as the Braves made their World Series run.
Ozuna’s wife, who was arrested herself a year earlier for allegedly hitting her husband in the face with a soap dish, told police that in the Sandy Springs incident, Ozuna took her two cell phones without her permission.
The video shows Ozuna dropping the phones from his right hand as he raises his arms to comply with the officer.
He was originally charged with felonies, including aggravated assault by strangulation, but the counts were later reduced to family violence charges, and he agreed to complete a family intervention program.
Earlier this week, Major League Baseball retroactively suspended Ozuna for 20 games for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. That cost him more than $1.5 million.
The retroactive punishment means Ozuna will be eligible to return to the Braves next season for the second year of his $65 million four-year contract.
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