Brandon Marshall Testifies as Part of Lawsuit for Alleged 2012 Assault

New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall was in a courtroom again April 7, testifying that he did not hit a woman who alleged he punched her during a 2012 altercation outside a Manhattan nightclub.

According to Dom Cosentino of NJ Advance Media, Marshall was emotional to the point of fighting back tears during his testimony. He walked back on his previous testimony that former college teammate Mike Sims-Walker had punched Christin Myles, who is suing Marshall for $75,000 in damages suffered in the melee.

Myles alleged Marshall punched her in the eye, causing injuries and emotional distress. In his testimony Thursday, Marshall said he was unsure whether Myles was punched by anyone on the night in question. That contradicts testimony Marshall gave in an earlier deposition for the case.  

NJ.com shared video of the alleged punch:

Cosentino offered highlights from a surveillance video shown during the proceedings:

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It is also clear that Myles had swung at Sims-Walker first, while Marshall stood nearby. But once Myles' punch was thrown, Marshall lunged in and either pushed Sims-Walker (his claim) or punched Myles (Myles' claim). Marshall did acknowledge that the right arm that was quickly extended into someone at that point was his. The video has a slow frame rate, but it might be possible for a reasonable person to conclude Marshall threw a punch. At issue: Whether he hit Myles.

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Marshall testified that he became fearful when Myles aggressively approached him following their nightclub incident. Marshall's wife, Michi, was hit with a bottle inside the club and suffered lost teeth. He spoke of what went through his mind when Myles approached him.

"For me, it was about safety," Marshall said. "I remember thinking if I fall, I could be dead."

Myles has been steadfast in her testimony, saying she knows it was Marshall who hit her, per Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media:

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I know who did it. I remember who did it. I shouldn't have been punched that night. He had no reason to. I want justice for what was done to me. It wasn't right. He did something wrong. It shouldn't have happened. I want him to own up to what he did. He needs to admit to what he did. He punched me.

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Cosentino also noted that, "A witness who testified Thursday afternoon at Marshall's civil trial here told the jury Marshall did not punch anyone on the night a woman claimed Marshall punched her outside a Manhattan nightclub four years ago." He continued:

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Dacson Spears, a former security supervisor at the club, Marquee, where the alleged incident took place, told jurors he came to the club that night with friends to hang out even though he wasn't working.

Spears testified that he saw the events that transpired out on the sidewalk outside the club—"I was able to see everything," he said—including that Marshall was chased by several men who had come rushing out of the club just after the alleged punch happened.

But Spears also said Marshall did not punch anyone and that Marshall did not hit a woman.

"Absolutely not," Spears said.

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The Miami Dolphins traded Marshall to the Chicago Bears within days of the incident. He has a long history of off-field problems, many of which came before learning of his borderline personality disorder. Since being diagnosed, Marshall has become a staunch advocate for mental-health awareness.

Police did not charge Marshall with a crime after investigating the incident, citing a lack of evidence. The burden of proof is far less in a civil case, so it's possible Marshall is found liable despite the differing testimonies.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.