The images were too disturbing to live with.
The vision was just too harsh to overcome.
And so, hours after a disturbing video was released of a barroom incident, Florida State University immediately dismissed freshman quarterback De’Andre Johnson from its football team.
Johnson, who at 19 was clearly too young to drink, was involved in an argument and punched a woman. He faced a misdemeanor battery charge. Johnson was not considered a serious challenger for the quarterback job during the upcoming season, but could have competed for it in the future.
For FSU, it meant a return to the controversy of quarterback Jameis Winston, in which the program constantly heard charges of favoritism during the police investigation.
The FSU state attorney’s office released the official surveillance video that showed Johnson striking a woman during an argument at a Tallahassee bar on Monday. Johnson, 19 and well under the drinking limit, got into a shoving match with the woman while both were waiting to be served. Johnson has been suspended indefinitely from the FSU football team.
Johnson is charged with misdemeanor battery. He has been released from Leon Country Jail on $500 bond.
Jose Baez, the attorney for Johnson, issued a statement that stated that Johnson did not make the initial contact, sort of a “she started it” kind of statement. He said that Johnson is embarrassed and apologizes for the incident.
According to court records, the woman suffered bruising near her left eye, swelling of the left cheek and upper lip and a small cut near the bridge of her nose.
