Former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough, who has a pending arbitration against the team, has a new item on his personal legal docket.
Via ESPN.com, a neighbor has accused McDonough of assault, following an alleged incident on March 12. McDonough allegedly chest-bumped the neighbor before allegedly putting his hands around the neighbor’s neck and trying to choke him.
McDonough has a hearing on April 11.
The criminal affidavit filed by the neighbor contends that McDonough was upset about tractor equipment damaging his lawn. The neighbor alleged that McDonough “has a history of volatile behavior and also [was] publicized in national news related to a case he has with the Arizona Cardinals. He tried to strangle me unprovoked and both me and my family do not feel safe.”
It’s odd that the neighbor gratuitously mentioned McDonough’s dispute with the Cardinals. It’s irrelevant to whether an assault happened.
The assault is also irrelevant to McDonough’s case against the Cardinals. That likely won’t stop the Cardinals from trying to use it to their advantage, at a minimum for P.R. purposes. Per a league source, multiple reporters have claimed that the Cardinals sent them the article regarding the alleged assault.
It’s not a surprise. That’s what companies that defend legal claims from former employees do. Turn the tables. Point a finger. Make it about anything other than whether the employer did something wrong.
UPDATE 11:07 a.m. ET: Through his lawyer, Mike Caspino, McDonough has denied the allegations.