McKinnie case gets March hearing

As Vikings officials sought more details of his most recent arrest -- by calling members of his family, among other avenues -- left tackle Bryant McKinnie was scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 17 in Miami-Dade (Fla.) County Court.

McKinnie faces three charges, including felony aggravated battery, for his role in a brawl outside a Miami nightclub Sunday morning. McKinnie, who is not required to appear at the hearing, was still in the process of securing an attorney Monday evening.

The incident was McKinnie's fourth legal entanglement since the Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2002 draft. As a result, he faces a possible NFL suspension during part of the 2008 season along with any sentence he receives in the Miami judicial system.

Vikings coach Brad Childress said Monday he could not speculate on possible team discipline because, "we don't have all the information." Speaking to reporters at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Childress said he had spoken with "members of [McKinnie's] family" about the incident but would not elaborate.

According to the police report, McKinnie was ejected from a nightclub known as Club Space after an altercation with security guard Eric Otero, 32. McKinnie initially went to another club across the street, but police were flagged down at approximately 6:30 a.m. after McKinnie allegedly returned to Club Space and began fighting with Otero.

McKinnie was "in the middle of a large crowd throwing punches," according to the police report. Witnesses told police the fight began when the security guard slapped a camera phone from McKinnie's hand. McKinnie then "picked up an [aisle] pole and struck the victim in back of his head," witnesses said, according to the police report.

The NFL strengthened its personal conduct policy last year to intensify discipline against repeat offenders. Most notably, Commissioner Roger Goodell reserved the right to punish such players before the legal system adjudicated their cases.

Last season, for example, Goodell suspended Vikings defensive tackle Fred Evans for two games after he was arrested twice in a calendar year.

McKinnie's other brushes with the law include:

• A previously unreported 2003 incident in Miami, where McKinnie was charged with obstructing a police officer. Prosecutors declined to pursue that case, according to Miami-Dade court records.

• An October 2005 arrest for an overnight disturbance at a downtown Minneapolis convenience store. Misdemeanor charges later were dropped.

• McKinnie pled guilty in 2006 to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in connection with the 2005 Love Boat incident on Lake Minnetonka. He paid $2,000 in fines, performed 48 hours of community service and was fined one game check -- $41,176 -- by the NFL.