New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman charged with indecent assault on woman

By Brian R. Ballou and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

In today's Big Story video, Mike Bello reports that Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman was charged with indecent assault on a woman in a Back Bay nightclub. (By Alan Miller/Globe Staff)

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman was released on personal recognizance today after being arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on one count of indecent assault and battery for allegedly groping a woman at a Back Bay nightclub.

Edelman, 25, did not speak during the brief hearing and a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Edelman and his attorney, who declined to identify herself to reporters outside the courtroom, both declined comment.

Julian Edelman

While he did not speak, Edelman did stop outside the Boston courthouse to autograph a New England Patriots football helmet for an unidentified fan.

The Patriots issued a one-sentence statement this afternoon on Edelman’s arrest.

“The Patriots are aware of the reports regarding Julian Edelman and will defer any comment to his representatives at this time,’’ the team said.

“The charges will be fought vigorously within the court system, instead of a rush to judgment elsewhere. We have no further comment beyond that,” Edelman’s agent, Don Yee, said in a statement this afternoon.

In court, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Susan Terrey asked that Edelman be ordered to stay away from the woman he allegedly assaulted and a man who was with the woman inside the Storyville nightclub in the Back Bay early today.

Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said officers were called to the Storyville nightclub on Exeter Street around 1:30 a.m. to investigate reports of an assault.

After police spoke with the female victim, Edelman was arrested on a single count of indecent assault and battery, Driscoll said. Edelman was taken into custody but later posted bail and released by police.

Driscoll said out of respect for the confidentiality of the information the victim supplied to police, police would not provide specific details of the allegation against Edelman.

In a report on the case obtained by the Globe, Boston police said Edelman was inside the nightclub when he allegedly reached underneath the woman’s Halloween costume and groped her below the waist.

A man who was with the woman told police that a man – later identified as Edelman – bumped into the woman on the dance floor. “He saw the victim’s face change into an expression of shock,’’ police said in the report.

The man then confronted Edelman on the dance floor and “threatened to beat him up’’ while the woman tried to calm him down, police said. The man and the woman were ejected, followed by Edelman, police said.

The man and the woman and Edelman were thrown out of the nightclub by bouncers to calm the situation, police were told by nightclub staff.

When police arrived, Edelman denied groping the woman, police said.

Edelman, 25, is a reserve wide receiver and a kick returner. He has been with the Patriots for three seasons. He was inactive in last Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.