Former NFL cornerback Dimitri Patterson has reportedly filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against ESPN, according to TMZ Sports. Patterson claims that information in a 2017 ESPN article regarding his arrest was “false and defamatory in its overall portrayal of DP as a violent, impulsive, unstable person.”
In the article, which was published by ESPN on August 15, 2017, Patterson is described as injuring two police officers while trying to escape a Miami-Dade courthouse to avoid being arrested. According to TMZ Sports, "ESPN says it confirmed the info with police -- noting, "a female officer suffered neck and back injuries, and a male officer injured his wrist while apprehending Patterson.""
Patterson, who is acting as his own lawyer, says there is court video footage which backs up his claims. That said, Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald wrote a similar article at the time, stating that "it took five Miami-Dade police officers to tackle [Patterson] and get him under control." Rabin also added that Patterson's arrest record reported that "with a handcuff around one wrist, he tackled one cop and knocked another to the ground before three other officers joined in and took control of the situation. One cop suffered a head injury, another hurt a wrist."
Patterson was ultimately charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence. Patterson, 34, played for five different teams during his eight year career, but has not appeared on a regular season roster since 2014.
