As I reported earlier today, Marcell Ozuna has entered a diversion program that could terminate his charges after six months.
Ozuna will undergo a 24-week family violence intervention program, along with 200 hours of community service and anger management classes. If Ozuna completes these requirements early, his supervision may be terminated after three months. He is still subject to discipline from MLB
— SportsTalkATL Jake (@cantguardjake) September 9, 2021
Earlier this Summer, Amy Dash and I broke the news that Ozuna had his charges reduced after prosecutors seemed to disagree with sworn police statements and bodycam footage. Ozuna was originally charged with Felony Aggravated Assault (Strangulation), but that was reduced to Simple Assault (Family Violence) by the Fulton County District Attorney’s office. If Ozuna meets the obligations of his diversion program, his charges will be dismissed. His attorney, Michael LaScala, said the resolution was “fair” for both the state and Ozuna.
Although Ozuna is done with his legal proceedings (for now), he still faces punishment from Major League Baseball. He’s likely to be suspended for a while, somewhere between 60-80 games, but there’s a possibility we see him back with the Braves in 2022. There’s also the possibility the team decides to eat the rest of his four-year, $65 million contract. Still, Ozuna will likely not be ready to start the 2022 season after his court date was delayed until today.
Ozuna has been on Atlanta’s Injured List since he dislocated his fingers on May 25th, and now that his case is settled, it’s likely we see the Braves move him to the Restricted List to avoid paying him for now. We’ll keep you updated with any decisions the Braves make on his status or contract.
Ozuna’s next court date is January 13th.
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