Mark Rypien, the former Washington Redskins quarterback who was MVP of Super Bowl XXVI in Minneapolis, pleaded not guilty Monday to a charge of domestic violence against his wife, Danielle.
Rypien was taken to the Spokane (Wash.) County Jail on Sunday afternoon after his arrest near a bank on the north side of the city. A witness who saw the couple called police and said Rypien's wife said he had struck her. She was evaluated and did not need medical treatment, police said.
Rypien, 56, was released without bail; his next court appearance was scheduled for July 31. Prosecutors initially asked for a no-contact order between Rypien and his wife at the brief hearing, but she argued against that.
Mark and Danielle Rypien said in a statement that they will continue to cooperate with authorities "to ensure that the truth of Mark's innocence comes out," KHQ-TV reported.
Rypien announced last year he believes he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy, caused by repeated concussions while playing in the NFL. He said he believes this condition caused him to have erratic and violent behavior.
soccer
Death threats reported
Twenty-five years after the murder of a player whose own-goal led to Colombia's elimination at a World Cup, the nation is seeing threats against a player who missed a decisive penalty kick in the Copa America.
Colombian defender William Tesillo said he and his family have received death threats because of his miss in a quarterfinal on Friday. The threats were made public by his wife on Sunday.
Tesillo missed Colombia's fifth penalty in the team's 5-4 loss in the shootout against Chile on Friday, leading to the team's elimination from the Copa America.
