By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Solo enters not guilty plea
Placeholder Image

KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) — U.S. women’s soccer team goalkeeper Hope Solo has entered a not guilty plea following her domestic violence arrest at her sister’s home in suburban Seattle.

Solo appeared in court Monday and was released without bail. She was ordered not to have contact with the alleged victims and to not drink alcohol.

Authorities say Solo was intoxicated early Saturday when she was accused of assaulting her sister and 17-year-old nephew. But her lawyer, Todd Maybrown, said she was a victim in the altercation.

Solo was booked into jail for investigation of two counts of fourth-degree domestic violence assault. Kirkland police said in a report on the incident that a caller reported a female at the residence was hitting people and they could not get her to stop or leave the house.

Solo did not speak in court except to answer the judge’s questions.

Maybrown entered the plea and argued against the city of Kirkland’s request for bail, noting that Solo does not have a criminal history and her status as a public figure makes it unlikely that she would not appear when called back to court.

“There’s going to be a very strong defense in this case,” Maybrown added. He did not object to the city prosecutor’s request for a noncontact order.

Solo’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 11.

Solo’s 17-year-old nephew told police she was upset and appeared to have been drinking when she arrived at a family gathering. She and her nephew got into a fistfight after arguing about his acting aspirations and she called him fat and crazy, according to court documents. When the boy’s mother tried to break up the confrontation, Solo punched her in the face, the documents said.

The nephew broke a broom over Solo’s head and the teen pointed a broken BB gun at her and tried to get her to leave, the documents said.

The boy told police, “We just let her back into our lives,” and said Solo “always does this.”

“Hope is not guilty of any crime,” Maybrown said in an email to The Associated Press on Saturday. “In fact, our investigation reveals that Hope was assaulted and injured during this unfortunate incident. We look forward to the opportunity to present the true facts in court and to having this matter behind Hope very soon.”