U.S. Olympic medalist charged with domestic violence

Since his arrest on Thursday evening, Olympic 100m silver medalist Fred Kerley has been charged with two additional felonies unrelated to his altercation with the Miami police, CBS News reports. On Saturday, his wife, Angelica Taylor, filed charges of domestic battery by strangulation and strong-arm robbery for an incident reportedly witnessed by their children in May.

Kerley’s defense team initially brought Taylor in to his bond hearing to speak on his behalf, assuming she would be angered by footage of what many on social media referred to as police brutality against him; but instead she leveled the new charges. “They asked me to be here and speak on his behalf, but I want to proceed with pressing charges on him,” Taylor stated during the court session.

“Seeing the video of this recent incident and how like he was aggressive, it kind of made me think, like, he didn’t feel any remorse for what he did to me,” she added. “I know that I have to think about my children, but he didn’t think about his children in that situation.”

“I thought that he was going to kill me”

During an interview with CBS, Taylor described the alleged incident in detail, noting that in an attempt to grab Taylor’s phone, Kerley wrapped his arm around her neck and choked her. “I’m not going to lie, at some point, I thought that he was going to kill me,” she said. She added that attack took place in front of one of their three children.

Taylor also claimed to have asked Kerley for a divorce on multiple occasions, and that Kerley refuses to grant her. However, a statement sent to CBS News Miami on Saturday by Kerley’s attorneys reads,”The allegations are made by a highly motivated and angry woman. The idea that Mr. Kerley won’t ‘grant’ her a divorce is just as ridiculous as the allegations against Fred.” Taylor appeared in court using her maiden name, but is also identified as Angelica Kerley.

Kerley’s girlfriend, Cleo Rahman, was also arrested on Thursday after reportedly resisting an officer without violence.

Kerley now faces four charges in total, three of which are felonies.

posted Tuesday January 7th
by Cameron Ormond