National Football League
Report: LB Boley under investigation
National Football League

Report: LB Boley under investigation

Published Dec. 17, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

New York Giants linebacker Michael Boley is being investigated for abusing his five-year-old son -- a claim his lawyer shot down as nothing more than a money grab Saturday.

Authorities in Gadsden, Ala., are deciding whether to charge Boley, a 6ft 3in (1.9m), 230-pound (91kg) player who was once arrested on a domestic-violence charge, for allegedly abusing the child in early June.

The district attorney's office in Etowah County, Ala., is expected to ask a grand jury to consider the evidence in the abuse case and decide whether to launch criminal charges against Boley.

But attorney Randall Kessler pointed out that when the child's mother had a chance in court to restrict Boley's access to the boy, all she asked for was more child support.

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"We went to trial in October, four months after the allegation, and all that was presented was her request for a lot more child support," Kessler told the New York Post. "A lot more."

The abuse allegation and the request to "quintuple" the amount of child support came amid a tense year-long custody battle, Kessler said.

Following the claim, the mother of another of Boley's children asked a judge in Georgia to require supervised visits when the player sees their two-year-old.

The judge has not ruled on the request. The woman, who lives in Georgia, has not lodged any abuse claims, according to a source.

The father of six, who has an autistic son and works to raise awareness about the condition, refused to talk about the allegation.

"I have no comment," he told the Post before slamming the door of his New Jersey home.

The abuse allegation apparently stems from an incident in which the boy misbehaved and Boley disciplined him "too severely," a source said.

The Alabama native, who began his NFL career in 2005 with the Atlanta Falcons, signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Giants in 2009 and is expected to take the field Sunday when the team battles the Redskins at MetLife Stadium.

"We are aware of the situation," Pat Hanlon, Giants senior vice president of communications, said of the abuse claim.

Boley was arrested in May 2008 in Georgia for allegedly beating his now-ex-wife, Chantelle. Charges were later dropped.
 

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