Former New York Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire expressed his vindication on Twitter Tuesday after battery charges against him stemming from allegations that he hit one of his two teenage daughters during an argument in December were finally dropped.
The case was dropped as a result of the “failure of the victim to cooperate in the prosecution of the criminal case,” according to CBS News.
A 15-year NBA veteran and a 6-time NBA All-Star, Stoudemire was arrested in mid-December and later released on a $1,500 bond with a no-contact order issued.
“A little over a month ago, my family’s world was turned upside down as I faced allegations that we all. knew to be untrue — which I instantly and publicly denied. Today (Tuesday), I’m grateful that after a full investigation, all charges were dismissed,” Stoudemire posted on his Twitter account @Amareisreal.
“Fortunately, my family and most importantly, my incredible children are all doing well. My faith in the goodness we all possess has never wavered and has never been greater. My love for my family is without limits. I am appreciative of all the respect and support received from family, friends an colleagues. Now that this chapter is closed, I look forward to all the great moments ahead with my family,” he continued.
On Dec. 17, a few hours after Stoudemire obtained his MBA degree from the University of Miami, a police report made the rounds that the former NBA star was arrested.
The alleged victim, one of Stoudemire’s daughters with his wife Alexis Welch, told police that “the 6-foot-10, 255-pound Stoudemire punched her in the jaw and slapped her hard enough to draw blood,” according to the police report.
Furthermore, the report added that the incident started when Stoudemire’s daughter answered, “What?” to her grandmother when she was calling her. Upon hearing it, Stoudemire allegedly confronted his daughter inside her room and asked why she was giving attitude. The child denied having such a tone with her grandmother, to which Stoudemire responded with, ‘You’re talking back again,’ and proceeded to allegedly punch her on the right side of her jaw followed by a slap on her face, bloodying her nose and continued slapping on the left side of her body.
Stoudemire told police his daughter had called her mother to pick her up “because she was sad” and she “was sad because she received a whooping from him for being disrespectful and a liar.”
Stoudemire was the last marquee free agent to sign with the Knicks before Jalen Brunson this past summer. On July 5, 2010, Stoudemire and the Knicks agreed in principle to a $100 million, five-year deal.
But injuries derailed Stoudemire’s stint with the Knicks from 2010 to 2014-15 season after spending his first eight seasons in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns. He only had one solid season with the Knicks in his first year, averaging 25.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, a career-high 2.6 assists and 2 blocks per game that made him part of the All-NBA Second Team selection. His stellar debut season with the Knicks ended with a sweep in the first round by their Atlantic Division rival Boston Celtics.
Stoudemire won Rookie of the Year and was named to All-NBA teams five times in his 15-year career. Post-retirement, he spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach under his former Suns’ teammate Steve Nash.
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