Oakland A’s Catcher Bruce Maxwell Pleads Guilty In Alleged Gun-Related Incident
Oakland Athletics backup catcher Bruce Maxwell has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors to resolve charges pending against him in connection with an October 28, 2017, incident in which he allegedly pulled a gun on a woman who was delivering food to his Scottsdale, Arizona, home.
In November, a grand jury indicted him on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. Cops said that he “showed signs of intoxication when he was arrested” in October, ESPN reported.
On September 23, 2017, Bruce Maxwell became the only MLB player to kneel during the national anthem when he took a knee prior to a game against the Texas Rangers. Maxwell’s dad is a U.S. Army veteran, and the professional baseball player was born in Germany while his father was stationed there. Maxwell insisted that his protest had nothing to do with a lack of patriotism or disrespecting the flag.
Under the plea bargain, Maxwell entered a guilty plea on Friday to disorderly conduct, thereby avoiding jail time. He is due back in Maricopa County Superior Court on June 4 during which he is expected to be put on probation and required to perform community service.
“Upon completion, the designated felony will be reduced to a misdemeanor,” ESPN added.
Maxwell appeared in 33 games for the A’s in 2016, recording a batting average of 0.283, with one home run and 14 RBIs. In 2017, he played in 76 games, finishing the season with a 0.237 batting average, hitting three home runs and driving in 22 RBIs in the process. Maxwell, 27, was on track to become the A’s starting catcher, but the team signed veteran Jonathan Lucroy in the offseason. Lucroy is on a one-year contract and could even be moved at this season’s trade deadline if the A’s fall out of contention, however.
So far in the 2018 MLB season, Maxwell has played in three regular season games. In 11 at-bats, he is hitting 0.273 with two RBIs.
In a statement, Bruce Maxwell expressed remorse over the incident, Athletics Nation explained.
“Accepting responsibility is the first step in working to make amends for my lapse in judgment. I am truly sorry for the pain that my actions have caused, and while they are not representative of who I am, I understand that I have to earn back the trust and respect of those around me.”
Oakland A’s general manager David Forst added that “I am pleased Bruce has taken responsibility for his actions…I believe he has already begun the work of making amends for his actions and look forward to his continued positive contributions to our community.”
Last September, Bruce Maxwell accused a Huntsville, Alabama, restaurant waiter of refusing to serve him because of the national anthem protest. The waiter tells an entirely different story, noting that he never heard of Bruce Maxwell before the encounter and the issue was that one of Maxwell’s dinner companions apparently produced an expired driver’s license or the equivalent when ordering an alcoholic beverage, Fox News reported. Maxwell grew up in Huntsville.
Following the Arizona guilty plea, Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell could also be subject to disciplinary action by the MLB commissioner.
There remains the possibility that the league could impose discipline for Maxwell’s guilty plea to disorderly conduct. Typically MLB waits to see outcome of legal process before making a decision.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) April 13, 2018
