Jeurys Familia Will Not Face Criminal Charges In Domestic Violence Case

Prosecutors in Fort Lee, New Jersey dropped assault charges against New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia today. He appeared in court alongside his wife, who had previously requested that the case be dismissed.

Familia, identified in court documents as Jeurys F. Mojica, was arrested and charged with simple assault following a 911 call on October 31 in which his wife, Bianca Rivas, reported he was “drunk” and “going crazy.” Police observed a scratch on her chest and a bruise on her right cheek.

At a Nov. 10 hearing, Familia pleaded not guilty. After the judge granted Rivas’s request to have a restraining order lifted, the couple left the courthouse together.

Prior to today’s court appearance, Rivas had asked Fort Lee prosecutor Arthur Balsamo to drop the charges. “She feels pretty confident about the situation,” Balsamo told Newsday in November. “She told me specifically that she didn’t want to pursue the matter. Ultimately, that’s my decision.”

Prosecutors could have pursued charges without Rivas’s cooperation. Earlier this week, Balsamo met with Rivas and her private attorney “to ensure that nothing has happened in the interim period.”

According to Newsday’s Jim Baumbach, the prosecutor met with Rivas and her attorney again just before the hearing. Baumbach left the hearing under the impression that “Everyone there did their best to distance this from a ‘domestic violence’ case,” including the judge and attorneys.

Familia, who received permission to play winter ball, could still be suspended by Major League Baseball, which is still conducting their investigation.