When New York Yankees star Jim Leyritz challenged domestic violence claims by his ex-wife
Yankees legend Jim Leyritz is known for his past filled with legal troubles. One such problem that many won't forget would be when he was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife.
In 2009, Leyritz was arrested for battery against his former wife, Karrie Leyritz. This brought even worse consequences for him as he was already facing probation and was awaiting a hearing for manslaughter.
The incident happened in 2007, when, while under the influence, the former Yankees star ended up hitting another person while driving. The victim was pronounced dead a few hours after the crash.
Leyritz was already on trial for the crash and was released on a bond of $11,000 USD. When the allegation was placed on the former catcher, his pre-trial release was canceled.
David Bogenschutz, Jim Leyritz's attorney, gave the following statement in the catcher's defense:
"There absolutely was no assault. I don't think there's any legitimacy to the claims being made,"
He added:
"I think the law enforcement did what they needed to do in the circumstances."
I Miss Yankees baseball #65:
Game 4 of the 96 WS, down 6-0 early, the Yankees came to within 3 by the bottom of the 8th. With 2 on and 1 out, Jim Leyritz hits a shot just over the left-field wall to tie the game https://t.co/Ixw8Zly0AW
The charges of domestic abuse and battery made by Karrie were later dropped.
When the wife of Yankees Legend Jim Leyritz said she was sick of the media
Karrie Leyritz, Jim Leyritz's former wife, had filed a complaint against the Yankees legend detailing how he had abused her.
However, it was later revealed that she had given two different statements to the police. In one account, she said the alteration happened in the foyer. In the other, she claimed it happened in the bedroom.
The police officer who wrote the report of the case had written the following in it:
"This second account of events provided by Karrie were totally different than when I first spoke to her,"
Her own children, who were sleeping during the incident, had said the following regarding the case:
"Mom was drunk, and she probably hit herself again."
When the media asked Karrie for her opinion and her own version of the truth, she had the following to say to it:
"I'm so sick of it. I can't believe you guys know this crap already."
Jim Leyritz blasts a 3 run homer in the 8th inning of Game 4 of the 1996 World Series. Photo by Doug Pensinger-Allsport https://t.co/imXMPRPX4T
If Karrie had not dropped the charges against Jim Leyritz, there was a possibility that he would have faced up to 15 years in prison.