Greenfield District Court Judge William Mazanec advised Bryant that he could be brought back up on charges of domestic assault and battery, resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer if he violates any laws during his probation.
ESPN senior writer Howard Bryant is seen in Greenfield District Court earlier this year with his wife Veronique Bryant and lawyer Buz Eisenberg.GREENFIELD - The case of ESPN reporter Howard Bryant ended quietly Friday as he agreed to serve six months of pretrial probation on charges that he assaulted his wife in front of a Shelburne Falls pizzeria.
Greenfield District Court Judge William Mazanec advised Bryant that he could be brought back up on charges of domestic assault and battery, resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer if he violates any laws during that period. If Bryant successfully completes the probation he will have no criminal record of the charges.
Police arrested Bryant, 42, after customers at Buckland Pizza reported seeing a man choking a woman during an argument on the sidewalk outside. When they arrived, Bryant, his wife Veronique and their six-year-old son were all inside their car. Police ordered Bryant to get out, began questioning him and arrested him after he allegedly resisted arrest.
At Bryant's arraignment in February, his lawyer, Buz Eisenberg, maintained that his arrest was racially motivated. Bryant is black, his wife is white. Veronique Bryant also told reporters that she did not feel endangered by her husband and that police acted inappropriately. She did not press charges against Bryant, but police took him into custody, nonetheless.
A state police spokesman later said that Bryant was combative and denied that race was a factor in his arrest.
An agreement signed by Eisenberg and prosecutor Jeremy C. Bucci states that a review of the evidence does not support the witness allegations that Bryant struck and choked his wife or inflicted violence on her, although Bryant admits police had probable cause to arrest him. The agreement also expressed Bryant's regrets that a private matter became public and offered his support for measures to combat domestic violence.
"Furthermore, Mr. Bryant recognizes and respects the importance of encouraging citizens to call the police when they witness conduct they feel is violent and continues to encourage such community participation as a vital part of a free and just society," the agreement states.
Bryant also apologized for giving the impression that race played a part in the actions of police, although the agreement states that he "believes that racism in any form diminishes all members of a community."
Neither Bryant nor his wife, who was present in court Friday, would comment on the resolution of his case. A Boston native, Bryant is the author of three books, including, “Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston.” He worked at The Washington Post and other newspapers before joining ESPN. A senior writer at the network, Bryant has covered the Olympics and other high profile sporting events.