Jared Sullinger Cleared of Domestic Violence Charges

Boston Celtics big fella Jared Sullinger has gotten himself out of some hot legal water, as domestic violence charges against him were dropped. Per the Boston Herald: “Sullinger may still face disciplinary action from the Celtics, who were discussing the possibility late yesterday. The case was dismissed when, Deann Smith, Sullinger’s girlfriend at the time, refused to testify and said she would invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination. Smith, whose call to police hours after the alleged late August incident precipitated the investigation and led to the charges, subsequently asked the charges be dropped and refused later to cooperate with authorities. The Middlesex County District Attorney could no longer proceed under the circumstances. ‘The victim is a necessary witness to the case and without her testimony we would not be able to sustain our burden of proof,’ said spokesperson Stephanie Chelf Guyotte. Sullinger declined to speak yesterday. Coach Brad Stevens was still considering the matter, having learned of the disposition of the case shortly before practice. ‘I haven’t really had time to think about it from the process standpoint,’ he said. ‘I made my thoughts known on it early. It’s obviously a really tough situation, and it’s one in which, like I said earlier, we’re all really disappointed when we heard of those allegations against him. We’ll move forward appropriately, but he was here and he did practice today. I think the whole process had obviously been tough for him, but he didn’t seem any different necessarily today. I just think he continues to have to get better on the court while really becoming the best person that he can be, as well, and really prioritizing and learning from what he’s been through.'”