Dez Bryant Accused of Assaulting His Mother

Bryant free after posting $1,500 bond

Editor's Note: A previous version of this report stated that Dez Bryant answered the door at his DeSoto home, it was in fact Bryant's brother.

DeSoto police arrested Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant on Monday on suspicion of assaulting his mother.

In a news conference Tuesday, DeSoto police Capt. Ron Smith said that officers were called to the home of Angela Bryant, his mother, at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

Angela Bryant told police that she had been in an argument with her son and that she told him that he needed to leave her home. She said her son became upset and grabbed her by her T-shirt, causing the shirt and her bra to tear. She said her son then grabbed her hair and hit her across the face with his baseball cap, police said.

Angela Bryant also told police that she tried to pull her son's hands away from her body and that he repeatedly struck her hands and wrists.

She said she then left her home and went to a neighbor's house to call 911, police said.

When officers arrived Saturday, they did not observe any physical injuries nor did Angela Bryant complain of any pain.

On Monday, however, police escorted Angela Bryant to the DeSoto police station, where she complained of pain in her wrists, hands, arms and chest. According to police, there were also visible bruises and swelling of her wrists and left thumb. (See the arrest warrant here.)

Police obtained a misdemeanor assault family violence arrest warrant Monday based on the information they collected, and Dez Bryant, with his attorney present, turned himself in at about 4 p.m.

He was released after posting a $1,500 bond and made no statement to the police or media.

Dez Bryant's brother, who answered the door at his DeSoto home on Tuesday afternoon, said the arrest was a misunderstanding but refused to elaborate.

"We good; we good," he said.

Bryant said he would not be issuing a formal statement.

"I can tell you that the family wants to reconcile all of this, and we are going to work to get it reconciled. That's my No. 1 priority," said attorney Royce West, who is representing Dez Bryant.

"He loves his mother and the fact is, he has supported her and the rest of his family financially since he's been in the NFL," West said.

The Cowboys, the team Bryant has played for during his entire NFL career, had no statement Monday.

"We are in the process of gathering information and will not have a comment at this time," said Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple.

Family violence is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

"Two things we look for in this particular instance -- one, was the victim willing to follow through with it? Was she willing to testify? And she made a statement she would. Second of which was physical evidence. She had swelling. She had bruising," said Smith.

Smith said that DeSoto police are investigating the case as they would any other, with no special consideration given to Bryant being a Dallas Cowboy.

"Family violence situations, we will press charges -- period. That's our position," said Smith.

This incident marks Bryant's first arrest since joining the team, but it's not the first time he has drawn negative attention.

In 2011, he reportedly was banned from NorthPark Center after he allegedly cussed out off-duty Dallas police officers who told him to pull up his saggy pants. It was reported that Bryant was issued a criminal trespass warning for his behavior and was banned from the property for 60 days -- though NorthPark officials later rescinded that punishment and allowed the NFL starter to return to the mall.

Bryant was also the defendant in more than one lawsuit alleging he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to jewelers. He eventually made amends and settled the lawsuits.

NBC 5's Ben Russell and Ellen Goldberg contributed to this report.

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