According to a Tuesday evening report on Twitter by Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, neither of the victims who are accusing Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey and his twin brother Mike Pouncey of assaulting them early Saturday morning at the Cameo club in Miami Beach have come in to make a statement to police since the night of incident.
“We need them to come forward and speak to invest,” Miami Beach Police Sgt. Bobby Hernandez told Beasley. “We’ve been anxiously awaiting that since they made the allegations on Saturday.”
Beasley goes on to report that at least one of the victims still needs to give a statement to police, which is a possible reason why a suspect hasn’t yet been identified. Beasley also goes on to say that the accusers’ lawyer told him that it appears Maurkice instigated the incident by throwing the first punch, then the entire group jumped in.
Beasley also reports that there are allegations that the incident could have been spurred by one of the victims’ sexual orientation as slurs were allegedly used.
According to an incident report released by the Miami Beach Police on Monday, some sort of physical altercation occurred at the twins birthday party, with Riquan James, Niya Pickett, and Brentley Williams, all listed as the alleged victims.
James said in a phone interview with the NBC 6 in Miami on Tuesday that the Pouncey brothers started taunting him in the VIP section prior to alleged incident taking place.
“From there, somebody grabbed me and I got hit,” James said. “Somebody lifted me up and dragged me out of the club. I was being beat up, I was getting punched and kicked. A bottle hit me.”
After the alleged incident took place, James took to his social media account to make emotional claims that he had had suffered a battered face and chipped tooth during the incident.
It is unknown whether or not surveillance video from the club has been obtained. It’s also important to keep in mind that neither of the Pouncey brothers were listed in the original incident report.
By the sound of Beasley’s report, it could be a few more days until more is known about what actually happened in the club early Saturday morning and it doesn’t appear as though the Pouncey brothers are entirely out of the woods just yet.
Update: Accusers' lawyer just told me it appears Maurkice Pouncey was instigator, threw first punch, then entire group jumped in. (more)
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) July 15, 2014
Also, the allegations are that this could have been spurred by one of the victims' sexual orientation. Slurs were allegedly used. Story tk.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) July 15, 2014
At least one of the victims still needs to give her statement to police, which is a possible reason why a suspect hasn't been ID'd.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) July 15, 2014
Keep in mind that the league is very sensitive about offensive language — in large part because of what happened in Miami last year.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) July 15, 2014
One reason no charges have been filed, per MBPD: Neither the victims nor witnesses have come in to make a statement since night of incident.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) July 15, 2014
Sgt. Hernandez: "We need them to come forward & speak to invest. We've been anxiously awaiting that since they made the allegations on Sat."
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) July 15, 2014
