Roy Miller arrested on domestic battery charge

When a bye week occurs, it’s usually expected to be a “no news” situation. But that hasn’t been the case for the Chiefs in the worst of ways, as DE/DT Roy Miller was arrested this morning on battery charges.

Miller was taken into custody in Duval County, Florida, at roughly 5:00 a.m., booked, and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.

The Chiefs released the following statement regarding the alleged incident:

"This morning we were informed about an incident involving one of our players, Roy Miller. We are still in the process of gathering details on the situation. We will have no further comment at this time."

Misdemeanor battery in the state of Florida is defined as when a person “actually and intentionally touches or strikes another person against the will of the other, OR intentionally causes bodily harm to another person.” (emphasis added). The “domestic” aspect of the charge indicates, under Florida law, that it’s alleged Miller committed battery against a member of his household or a person with whom Miller is in a romantic relationship or had a previous romantic relationship.

It’s important to note the distinction between this charge and assault, which does not always involve actual physical touching. Here, Miller is alleged to have committed some kind of physical act (which can range from a push to multiple punches).

I’ve prosecuted hundreds of domestic violence cases, and if I’ve learned one thing during that time it’s that the facts rarely all come out at once and they take quite some time to unfold. While Miller of course is innocent until proven guilty with regards to the law, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if the Chiefs cut him after their fact-gathering.