Thursday, 4:30 PM
Phillies pitcher Brett Myers arraigned for allegedly beating his wife
By Suzanne Smalley
Globe Staff
Brett Myers, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, was arraigned this morning after being arrested shortly after midnight for allegedly beating his wife in front of several witnesses on Boylston Street, authorities said.
Myers, 25, was released by a judge this morning after pleading not guilty to assault and battery charges in Boston Municipal Court, according to David Procopio, a spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.
The pitcher and his wife, Kim Myers, 28, were walking back to their hotel from a bar when a dispute broke out 900 Boylston St, according to Procopio and a police report. Police responded at 12:26 a.m. to a 911 call reporting a domestic assault, Procopio said.
Myers' wife told police she believed her husband hit her twice in the face with a closed fist. Witnesses told police Myers dragged his wife by the hair and slapped her across the face. Procopio said it is unclear if Myers punched his wife or slapped her, but he did strike her in the face.
Courtney Knight, 26, who witnessed the alleged attack, said in an interview today that Myers was out of control.
"It was disgusting," Knight said. "He was dragging her by the hair and slapping her across the face. She was yelling, 'I'm not going to let you do this to me anymore.' "
Knight said the 6-foot-4 ballplayer dwarfs his wife, who the police report said was 5 foot 4 and 120 pounds.
"She's a real small girl," Knight said. "It was awful."
Myers allegedly told Knight and her friends to leave and resisted when they tried to pull him off of his wife, prompting Knight to call police.
She said Myers was undeterred by the presence of her and her two friends.
"He had her on the ground. He was trying to get her to go, and she was resisting," Knight said. "She curled up and sat on the ground. He was pulling her, her shirt up was around her neck....He could have cared less that we were there."
The player was arguing with his wife because he wanted to return to their hotel and she did not, a woman who was with Myers and his wife told police.
Myers is slated to pitch against Curt Schilling at Fenway Park tomorrow.
The police report says that officers found Kim Myers crying and with swelling on the left side of her face. The victim bailed her husband out, posting $200 in bail at the South End police station early this morning, Procopio said.
According to a Major League Baseball website, Myers married his wife in 2002 and they have a 3-year-old daughter.
