Three days after he was released by the Giants, linebacker Michael Boley on Feb. 8 was arrested for child abuse. The decision to cut Boley back on Feb. 5 was solely a football decision, according to a source, and that the Giants were not aware of any pending legal issues with Boley before releasing him.
The case was scheduled to go to a grand jury in February but Boley, 30, struck a plea deal with prosecutors, TMZ.com reported. Court officials in Etowah County, Ala., told TMZ Boley pled guilty to child abuse.
Sources told the website the abuse was physical and not sexual in nature. In exchange for the guilty plea, Boley was ordered to enroll in a pre-trial diversion program and upon completion of the program the charge would be dropped.
Boley was booked on Feb. 8 and appears to be smiling in his mug shot. This was not his first run-in with the law. He was arrested in May 2008 on battery charges after his wife, Chantelle, told police he “became physical’’ with her after an argument. Boley was suspended by the NFL for the opener of the 2009 season against the Redskins — his first game with the Giants — for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The case did not go to court.
In 2011, authorities investigated a report that Boley physically abused his then five-year old son in Gadsden, Ala. According to the Giants media guide, Boley has six children.
On Feb. 5, the Giants cut Boley after four seasons, all as a starting outside linebacker. He is not signed with any NFL team. Cutting ties with Boley was certainly not a shocking move by the Giants, though their linebacker position is not exactly brimming with proven talent. Boley’s playing time decreased in the second half of last season and he was replaced in the starting lineup down the stretch by Jacquian Williams.