The district attorney who charged Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs with two domestic misdemeanors says surveillance video from Jacobs' garage corroborates portions of his ex-girlfriend's account of the alleged incident. Brown County District Attorney David L. Lasee said the footage, recovered from a camera system at Jacobs' Hobart, Wisconsin residence, shows the former Pro Bowler taking the woman's phone while she was on the floor and later appearing to damage it.
Jacobs was charged Thursday with one count of misdemeanor battery and one count of criminal damage to property. He turned himself in to police on May 26, three days after the incident. The charges stem from a May 23 altercation in which the woman, identified in the incident report as ANM, told officers that as she tried to exit through the garage door, Jacobs grabbed her, threw her to the ground, and she struck her head, suffering an injury. She also said Jacobs took her phone while she was on the ground and that she struggled to walk back inside.
According to Lasee's incident report, surveillance footage from the garage camera system between 8:30 a.m. and 8:38 a.m. on May 23 corroborates the relevant portions of the woman's statement that one would expect to have seen on video, including both individuals departing and returning to the residence and their actions in the garage. The report states the video further shows Jacobs took the woman's phone while she was on the floor, and approximately 40 seconds later, he returns to the garage and appears to damage it.
The video is not available for independent inspection at this time. It will be used as evidence in the case against Jacobs. The district attorney's office said the charges were filed after reviewing a follow-up report from Investigator Van Lanen of the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department received on August 6, and a digital forensic examination report prepared by Frank Angel for the Brown County Sheriff's Office, received on August 13. Those reports relate to the recovery of electronic devices from Jacobs' residence, including components of the video surveillance system and cellular phones belonging to both Jacobs and the woman. Angel's report outlined the complex process of recovering the video files, which took several weeks and culminated in final verification on July 21.
Jacobs has maintained through his legal team that he will be exonerated of the allegations. The case has drawn comparisons to past NFL disciplinary matters involving video evidence. The league has a history of taking strong action when video of player misconduct becomes public, most notably in the 2014 case of Ray Rice, whose career ended after video surfaced of him striking his then-fiancée in a casino elevator.
The Packers released a statement acknowledging the charges. The team said it is aware of the charges brought against Jacobs and will continue to cooperate with the NFL as it works through the process. The team declined further comment. The NFL's investigation is ongoing, and Jacobs is subject to discipline under the league's Personal Conduct Policy. He could also be placed on the commissioner's exempt list, which would allow him to be paid but not play while the case proceeds.