According to Grant Ramey of the Knoxville News Sentinel, a student judicial panel at the University of Tennessee decided Thursday that school discipline charges against Vols defensive tackle Alexis Johnson were “unfounded.”
The 20-year-old transfer student from Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College was initially charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment after an incident with a woman on February 14th of this year. After Johnson and his representation struck a deal with the Knox County District Attorney General’s office in April, the charge of false imprisonment was dismissed entirely and the charge of felony aggravated assault was diminished to misdemeanor domestic assault.
The victim, a former girlfriend of Johnson’s, reportedly agreed to both the dismissal and reduction of charges against him. At the time of the incident, the woman told police that she and Johnson had been “play fighting” in the living room and bedroom of his apartment before he became aggressive.
The original charge of aggravated assault against Johnson was documented as strangulation of the victim.
Because of the arrest, Johnson did not participate in spring practice or summer workouts with the Vols after signing with the team in December 2015. Ramey reports that Ryan Robinson, Tennessee senior associate athletic director for communications, relayed that UT coach Butch Jones is aware of the report, but Johnson’s suspension from the football team remains indefinite at this time.
Information from the Knoxville News Sentinel contributed to this report.
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