MIAMI — Boxer Gervonta Davis did not appear in a South Florida courtroom on Wednesday. However, both prosecutors and Davis’ defense attorneys argued over surveillance video at the root of the charges against the famous fighter.
The video is from October and was taken inside Tootsie’s Cabaret in Miami Gardens.
Police say the video shows Davis forcefully grabbing a woman by the neck and pushing her down a hallway, then into a stairway leading to a parking garage.
The alleged victim, Courtney Rossel, is Davis’ former girlfriend who was working at the club at the time of the incident.
During the hearing, Davis’ attorney, Simon Steckel, said he had evidence to show his client is innocent and wants a meeting with prosecutors.
While admitting his client wishes the video did not exist, Steckel said there is more to the story.
“What you may not know is she went home with him and spent the next nine hours with him,” Steckel said.
He went on to call the whole situation “a shakedown.”
“There was a demand from the alleged victim for $1.1 million to make this thing go away,” Steckel said.
The alleged victim’s attorney said the video makes it clear that Davis is a violent man, and they say he has a history of being violent in the past while adding that the defense is now attacking the victim.
Davis’ attorney says none of that is true.
“There is no indication by anybody that he struck her (or) punched her at all,” Steckel said.
Davis facing charges of kidnapping and battery, while Steckel said a false imprisonment charge has been dismissed.
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