Green Bay Packers star Josh Jacobs is now suing a Wisconsin police department in his latest effort to bar the public from potentially seeing video that allegedly shows him attacking his ex.
The running back filed the suit against the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department in Brown County, Wisc., on Wednesday, court records viewed by the California Post show.
In his complaint, Jacobs stated he’s seeking “a permanent injunction, protective order, and final order” that would restrain access to evidence that was collected by the department after Jacobs was accused of roughing up his former girlfriend during a dispute at his home on May 23.
Jacobs acknowledged in the suit that the investigative materials possibly include “police and supplemental reports, dispatch and communications records, photographs, audio recordings, video recordings, witness statements, investigative notes, digital evidence, and other documents,” as well as video recorded inside his “private residential garage or home.”
The Packer argued the public should not be allowed to view any of it, writing that the records “contain information pertaining to him, depicting his property, or revealing private information concerning his residence and garage.”
Jacobs also stated in his suit that the victim in the case, identified only as “ANM,” has requested to keep the materials away from the public through a filing she submitted in a Brown County court last month.
“The public policy favoring protection of a crime victim’s privacy weighs heavily against disclosure where disclosure would needlessly expose the victim to further suffering or unwanted public attention,” Jacobs’ lawsuit stated.
Additionally, the filing claimed the release of the records could open him up to burglars.
“Public sports figures have been targeted for robbery and related property crimes,” the suit stated. “The public availability of Plaintiff’s schedule or travel information increases the risk that persons could identify periods when Plaintiff is away from home and use released information concerning the residence, garage, access points, security arrangements, or property to target the property.”
Hobart-Lawrence Police alleged that after a dispute over “other girls,” Jacobs “grabbed” ANM in his garage and “threw her to the ground,” causing her injury. Cops also claimed Jacobs broke the woman’s phone in the altercation. A probable cause affidavit stated at least part of the incident was captured by cameras in the Pro Bowl running back’s home.
Jacobs was ultimately charged with one count of battery and one count of criminal damage to property, and on Sept. 10 he pleaded no contest to both counts. He was ordered to pay over $1,000 in fines and fees as his sentence for the battery count, while sentencing for the criminal damage to property charge is slated to remain suspended for the next year.
Jacobs said he was taking “full responsibility” for his actions when he made the pleas.
“I fully understand the seriousness of the situation,” he added.
The investigative materials were slated to be made public through police records requests following the criminal case’s disposition, before Jacobs and ANM launched repeated attempts to block their release.
The Hobart-Lawrence Police Department said in a letter to requestors on Tuesday that it is “temporarily withholding all responsive records” as it awaits further rulings on Jacobs and ANM’s requests.
Jacobs, meanwhile, has been barred from practicing or playing for the Packers since being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list following the announcement of the charges against him.
