He was charged with felony animal cruelty in May after his ex-girlfriend's dog died from blunt force injuries.
Shembo's attorney Jerry Froelich said his client pleaded to a reduced charge of misdemeanor animal cruelty because he wants to try to get back to playing football.
Shembo was charged with felony animal cruelty by Gwinnett County police for killing his ex-girlfriends pet Yorkie. Almost immediately, the Atlanta Falcons announced they cut him.
"If he had been any place else, no one would have cut him," Froelich said. "We had Michael Vick sitting on our shoulder." In August 2007, Vick pleaded guilty to federal felony charges in connection with a dog-fighting ring.
Froelich said his client agreed to the reduced charge because he wants to play football again. "I think I could have won at trial but we needed to get rid of this in order for him to get a shot back at the NFL," he said.
In an interview with 11 Alive News in May, Denicia Williams, Shembo's ex-girlfriend, said she found her dog Dior unresponsive after leaving the dog at Shembo's Buford apartment.
"I saw him laying in the cage with his eyes open and he was breathing but (there was) no response from him," she said.
Froelich said Shembo kicked the dog once after the dog bit him in the hand. The Yorkie's injuries were extensive and a necropsy determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
Where is evidence to show that the little dog bit him? LIAR!
Details of the warrant say the dog had a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, extensive bruising/hemorrhage in muscles in front leg and shoulders, head trauma, hemorrhage and edema in lungs, hemorrhage between the esophagus and trachea and hemorrhage in the left eye with internal injuries.
Despite those significant injuries, it wasn't enough for the District Attorney's office to seek felony charges.
Sounds more like the DA was too lazy to pursue felony charges.
"Their expert said the dog was so small that could have been done by one kick," Froelich said.
Shembo was sentence one year probation and a $1,000 fine for the misdemeanor animal cruelty charge.
If he signs with an NFL team, he still could be subject to the league's player-conduct policy and could face a suspension.
(WXIA - Aug 12, 2015)
