An attempted homicide charge against the woman accused of stabbing NFL free agent Terrelle Pryor has been dropped by a Pennsylvania judge, but she still faces an aggravated assault charge for allegedly stabbing the former Ohio State star during an altercation on November 30.
Pryor, 30, and his ex-girlfriend Shalaya Briston, 24, are ‘believed to be mutual combatants in this incident,’ according to Pittsburgh police.
Briston faces up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if convicted of aggravated assault.
Pryor is facing a simple assault charge, which was also upheld by the judge on Thursday. He faces up to two years in prison for the misdemeanor charge.
An attempted homicide charge against Shalaya Briston (right), the woman accused of stabbing NFL free agent Terrelle Pryor (left), has been dropped by a Pennsylvania judge, but she still faces an aggravated assault charge for allegedly stabbing him during an altercation on November 30. The witness claims Pryor and Briston ‘tussled’ in their kitchen, where she allegedly grabbed an object and stabbed the 6-foot-4, 230-pound former Buckeyes star. Pryor allegedly knocked one of the witnesses to the ground during the skirmish
Pryor has previously revealed his gruesome stab wounds on social media. The pictures show the 30 staples he needed to close the expansive scar that now lines his chest and shoulders
The prosecution claims Briston drunkenly assaulted Pryor, while her attorney Lee Rothman says she was defending herself, according to Pittsburgh’s CBS affiliate, KDKA.
‘It’s clearly not a situation where anyone intended to kill another human being,’ Rothman said, as quoted by KDKA.
The prosecution does contend that she tried to kill Pryor, but according to multiple reports, it was Briston who actually drove him to the hospital after the incident.
One eye witness claimed that Pryor was beating Briston ‘like a dude’ before she stabbed him at their apartment in Pittsburgh.
‘Not surprised that she told a story that led itself to a self defense argument from Ms. Briston,’ said Pryor’s attorney Steve Colafella, as quoted by KDKA.
Pryor has spent time with nine NFL teams including the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. He most recently signed with Jacksonville but was waived by the Jaguars in September after being sidelined by a hamstring injury
‘It’s her best friend, she started playing up her intoxication and blurred vision, which — she’s sticking up for her friend.’
Pryor has previously revealed his gruesome stab wounds on social media.
The pictures show the 30 staples he needed to close the expansive scar that now lines his chest and shoulders.
In some Instagram posts, Pryor claimed he needed to be resuscitated twice before undergoing emergency surgery.
He is expected to make a full recovery.
‘Life Crazy man,’ Pryor wrote on Instagram on December 3. ‘Was coded twice before I came back alive. Stared death in the eye in same place my son was born. God is good!! Just got out ICU for 4 days.’
That post, which was republished by TMZ, featured a picture of bare-chested Pryor sporting bandages over two areas of his torso. ‘Coded’ is a hospital term that can refer to resuscitating a patient.
The altercation took place at the Pryor’s apartment in Pittsburgh, according to the criminal complaint, which reports that he was actually taken to the hospital by Briston and two witnesses.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, a female witness claimed Pryor started the fight after waiting for Briston to return home from clubbing with friends.
The witness claims Pryor and Briston ‘tussled’ in their kitchen, where she allegedly grabbed an object and stabbed the 6-foot-4, 230-pound former Buckeyes star. Pryor allegedly knocked one of the witnesses to the ground during the skirmish.
‘When a man puts his hands on a woman, and she is in fear, she has a right to defend herself, and this young lady acted in that way,’ Rothman said, as quoted by Pittsburgh’s WTAE in December. ‘We’ll be looking forward to picking 12 jurors to make that determination of whether or not Mr. Pryor was justified in his actions or whether my client was justified.’
The prosecution does contend that she tried to kill Pryor (pictured), but according to multiple reports, it was Briston who actually drove him to the hospital after the incident
Briston’s nose does appear to be slightly bruised in the mugshot, which supports bystander testimony that it was Pryor who instigated the physical skirmish.
TMZ previously reported that Briston and Pryor have been a couple for about a year, although the relationship has been described as ‘volatile.’
A witness told TMZ that Pryor is ‘always putting his hands on Ms. Briston.’
Police officers were called to UPMC Mercy after a stabbing victim walked into the hospital just after 4:30am on November 30, according to a Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman, who wouldn’t confirm that the victim was Pryor.
Allegheny County District Attorney spokesman Mike Manko confirmed Saturday that Pryor, 30, was the victim of a stabbing.
Pryor has spent time with nine NFL teams including the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. He most recently signed with Jacksonville but was waived in September after a hamstring injury.
While his professional career has been that of a journeyman, Pryor was a national star quarterback in high school and college, as well as one of the top basketball recruits in the country.
While at Ohio State, Pryor drove was caught driving on a suspended license was later found to have made thousands of dollars by autographing memorabilia – an NCAA violation, but an accusation his lawyer has denied.
Shalaya Briston seen leaving Pittsburgh police headquarters after allegedly stabbing Pryor