|
 San Jose police said they were investigating the assault of a
woman seeking treatment at a hospital on Tuesday when officers
determined that McDonald might have been involved in the incident.
Police then searched the San Jose home of McDonald, an eight-year
National Football League veteran. No arrests have been made and the
investigation is continuing, police said.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office declined last
month to file charges against McDonald after a 10-week investigation
into allegations he assaulted his pregnant fiancée.
"We as an organization have notified (McDonald) and his agent that
he will be terminated, released immediately," 49ers general manager
Trent Baalke said in a statement.
 With the NFL under fire for bungling cases of domestic abuse by its
players, several teams took players accused of domestic violence off
the field. The 49ers, however, allowed McDonald to keep playing
during the earlier investigation while the legal process played out.
"While this organization has a strong belief in due process and has
demonstrated that over time, Ray has demonstrated a pattern of poor
decision-making that has led to multiple distractions for this
organization and this football team that can no longer be
tolerated," Baalke said.
The NFL Players Association declined comment.
[to top of second column] |
McDonald, 30, was selected in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft
by San Francisco and has played his entire pro career with the
49ers.
The NFL recently strengthened its policies in dealing with domestic
violence.
Ray Rice was cut by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely
by the NFL after a video emerged of him punching his then-fiancée in
an Atlantic City casino hotel elevator. An arbitrator has since
allowed Rice back into the league, although he has yet to sign with
another club.
Former NFL Most Valuable Player Adrian Peterson was suspended until
at least next April 15 after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor
charge of reckless assault for hitting his 4-year-old son with a
tree branch.
(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
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