ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill will have a domestic-violence charge dismissed if he complies with Issaquah Municipal Court stipulations for 18 months.
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Prosecutor Lynn Moberly told The Associated Press on Wednesday night that Hill, 27, entered into a stipulated order of continuance at a hearing earlier in the day. That avoids a trial that could have started this month on a misdemeanor count of fourth degree assault/domestic violence arising from an April arrest at Hill's suburban Seattle home.
In a telephone interview, Moberly said Hill, a five-year starter for the Seahawks, will be on what is essentially probation for 18 months and must complete a one-year state-certified domestic violence treatment program -- 26 weeks of weekly therapy and counseling, then monthly sessions for six months -- plus 25 hours of community service. He also must have no other criminal law violations and possess no weapons during the period.
The only contact Hill is allowed with his alleged victim is on the telephone, pending his progress in the domestic-violence treatment program and a judge's subsequent review of that limited-contact order.
"I felt like I treated Mr. Hill like any other domestic-violence offender," said Moberly, who has specialized in domestic-violence cases for her county. "The most important thing in looking for accountability is getting him in domestic-violence treatment.
"It's a common resolution for offenders who don't have prior convictions for domestic violence. Not only that, I had to factor in a victim who was minimizing the incident, retracting statements and generally not cooperating ... evading me personally. It's frustrating."
The NFL has suspended Hill for the Seahawks' Sept. 12 season opener against the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers for a marijuana-possession charge in Georgia. He began 12 months of probation for that in April, and the solicitor-general in Douglas County, Ga., has said he was waiting to see how Hill's case in Washington ended up before deciding whether to ask a judge to revoke that ruling.
The league could suspend Hill separately in the domestic-violence case. An NFL spokesman previously said the league has been following Hill's latest case.
Hill has been sidelined for the last week because of a sprained knee.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
