Junior Galette Sued for 2nd Time for Alleged Domestic Violence

Washington linebacker Junior Galette is facing a new civil lawsuit from the woman who accused him of domestic violence stemming from an alleged incident in January. 

According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, the new lawsuit "deals primarily with accusations of physical abuse on that morning of Jan. 5."

"Galette's accuser said he began to beat and strangle her as she was packing her belongings after he demanded she leave his home," Triplett wrote. "She said he threw her to the floor and continued to kick, scratch and punch her, ripping an earring out of her earlobe and causing it to split."

After an investigation, the battery charge was dismissed in February. 

Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com reported after the original domestic violence charge was dismissed that it was unclear if the alleged victim in the case lived with the linebacker. 

"[Mike] Power said interviews with witnesses cast doubt on whether the alleged victim was a member of the household," Woodbery wrote. "Domestic violence charges can only involve persons in the same household, he said."

The alleged victim in this case filed a civil lawsuit against Galette after the criminal charges were dropped, but the suit was dismissed in August after the plaintiff failed to appear in court, per Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. 

The New Orleans Saints released Galette in July. He signed a one-year deal with Washington one week later but has not appeared in a game after suffering a torn Achilles in the preseason. 

The NFL also suspended him for two games following an investigation into the allegations. He served the suspension while on injured reserve, which amounted to him losing two game checks. 

Larry Holder of NOLA.com reported in June that a YouTube video from 2013 appeared to show a man identified as Galette striking a woman twice with a belt during a scuffle, though Galette's attorney denied it was his client in the video.

Galette was one of the NFL's most prolific pass-rushers in 2013-14, recording 22 sacks in those two seasons with the Saints before his release. His off-field problems have led to an uncertain future, however.