Charges dropped DJ

["Belanger,Roger" <rbelange@foxboro.com>]

Hey gang,

Thought you might be interested in this article.

Roger B.



Charges dropped against former Celtics star Dennis Johnson

Associated Press, 01/09/98 07:44 



BOSTON (AP) - Prosecutors in Florida have dropped charges against former
Boston Celtics star Dennis Johnson, accused of threatening his wife with
a knife. 

The charges of aggravated felony assault, simple assault, simple battery
and domestic violence were dismissed after Johnson's wife and son
refused to press charges. 

``The victims were unwilling to prosecute,'' said Tracy Sutherland, a
spokesman for the Orange County state attorney's office in Orlando, Fla.

Johnson was arrested Oct. 20, accused of grabbing his wife's throat and
holding a knife to her face. He was released from jail after posting
$5,000 bond, and was ordered to stay away from his home. 

Donna Johnson, his wife of 21 years, was not physically injured. 

Reached by The Boston Globe at the family's Orlando home, Donna Johnson
confirmed the charges were dropped in November. 

``Basically, that was it,'' she said. 

Dennis Johnson, 43, declined to discuss the case, calling it a personal
matter. 

Police said that during an argument at their home outside Orlando,
Dennis Johnson grabbed Donna Johnson and held a knife in front of her
face. 

``What are you going to do, kill me? Go ahead,'' she told her husband,
according to the police report. 

Dennis Johnson, according to the report, replied: ``You don't think
anybody will hurt you?'' 

When his 17-year-old son tried to intervene, police said, Dennis Johnson
warned: ``I'll knock you out.'' 

His son feared his father would hit him, and ran next door where a
neighbor called 911. He then returned home, saw that things had calmed
down and called 911 himself, police said. 

Dennis Johnson, played with Seattle, Phoenix and Boston, the last seven
seasons with Larry Bird on the great Celtics teams of the 1980s. 

He helped Seattle win the 1979 championship, and was part of Boston's
championship teams in 1984 and 1986. 

He retired as a Celtics player after the 1989-90 season, and returned as
an assistant coach in 1994. He lost his job last year when the Celtics
fired their entire coaching staff after a dismal season.