Arrest Warrant for Odell Beckham Jr. Issued in Connection with College Football Championship Postgame Incident
Police have an obtained an arrest warrant for Cleveland Browns superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., multiple law enforcement sources confirmed Thursday to local news outlets.
The warrant, which was signed by a judge Thursday morning, is for simple battery, a law enforcement source told WDSU-TV.
The outlet said three sources confirmed the warrant had been issued.
A New Orleans police representative told NOLA.com that the warrant was in connection to Beckham’s actions following LSU’s national championship win Monday night.
Beckham, who starred at LSU before being selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft, was in attendance at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to watch his Tigers claim the national title.
Spirits were high in the LSU locker room following the win, with star quarterback Joe Burrow and some of his teammates enjoying victory cigars.
But as AL.com reported, one officer wasn’t in a celebratory mood.
“A police officer threw water on the party when telling the national champions they could not smoke the cigars that burned for easily 15 minutes after beating Clemson,” the outlet said.
“In fact, the officer announced to the players any smoking cigars in the locker room would be subject to arrest. Several players holding stogies laughed at the warning like it was a joke but the cop wasn’t smiling.”
Ultimately, no one was arrested.
On Wednesday, video surfaced on social media that appears to show Beckham striking a law enforcement officer who was cracking down on the cigar-smoking.
The brief video begins with an officer “lecturing” senior offensive guard Damien Lewis (#68), according to USA Today.
At one point, the officer walked behind Lewis and pointed to something next to him.
“You got a burn mark there,” he said.
A few seconds later, Beckham, who was standing behind the officer, appeared to slap him on the backside.
OBJ wasn’t gonna let that officer spoil the fun.. told him to get the gat. ? pic.twitter.com/sWoWj53r42
— ? (@wannabjoyful) January 14, 2020
It wasn’t clear if Beckham made contact, but the officer did turn around, suggesting Beckham’s hand had hit its mark.
It’s hard to tell what exactly Beckham, who now plays for the Cleveland Browns, was doing next, but it looks as though he was mocking the officer.
According to NOLA.com, authorities originally wanted to charge Beckham with misdemeanor sexual battery.
“Louisiana law defines misdemeanor sexual battery as the intentional touching of the breasts or buttocks of a victim who did not consent to the contact,” the report said.
A judge said no to that idea. Police then redrafted the warrant to accuse Beckham of simple battery, and the judge signed it.
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