Decision on whether Vikings' Jeff Gladney will be indicted expected Tuesday
Jul. 30—The Vikings likely will know more on Tuesday about the future of cornerback Jeff Gladney, who has been away from the team since he was arrested in April for an alleged assault involving a woman in Dallas.
According to Tasha Tsiaperas, community and media relations manager for the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, Tuesday likely will be when a decision is announced on whether Gladney will be indicted following Thursday's grand jury hearing.
Gladney, 24, was arrested April 5 on a charge of third-degree family violence assault for the alleged April 2 incident. Gladney, a starter last season as a rookie, did not take part in the Vikings' spring workouts and has been absent from training camp since it got underway on Wednesday.
For there to be an indictment, nine of 12 jurors from the grand jury would need to return a decision for one. If he is indicted, Gladney would be arraigned in court, and a trial date would be set.
KTVT, a Dallas-Fort Worth television station, reported April 5 many of the details on the arrest affidavit, although Dallas officials did not release the affidavit until this month. The complainant is a 5-foot-7, 115-pound, 22-year-old woman who was identified in the affidavit as having "been in an intimate dating relationship for six months" with the 6-foot, 185-pound Gladney.
The television station accurately reported that the arrest affidavit said that Gladney, in a dispute in a vehicle over messages in the woman's cell phone, allegedly tried "shoving (her) face," allegedly tried "pulling (her) by her hair" and allegedly struck her "with closed fists" in the ribs, stomach and back, causing pain. The station initially reported that the affidavit said that Gladney later allegedly "began strangling (her) by the neck" and allegedly "dragged (her) across the ground" while the vehicle they were in was moving. And the station initially reported that the alleged "strangling" resulted in having "impeded her breathing for approximately five seconds."
The affidavit provided some addition details. It noted that at one point "the complainant had her head on the center console of the vehicle and (the suspect) would use his weight and push down on the complainant's neck with his forearm impeding her breath." And it noted that "the suspect also used his right hand and grabbed the complainant by the neck and pushed her against the passenger window, impeding her breath."
According to the affidavit, the complainant eventually was "able to break free, and she got into a vehicle with unknown passengers and (called) 911." The complainant later that day granted an interview to police, and the affidavit noted that they "observed injuries," which the station reported in April as "scratches on her face and neck and abrasions on her knees."
Gladney, who posted a $10,000 bond after his arrest, faces from two to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The Vikings released a statement on April 5, saying they "take this matter very seriously, as the reported allegations are extremely disturbing." The team has not commented on the case since then.
Gladney was with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Texas Christian. He played in all 16 Vikings games last fall as a rookie, starting 15.
