Now that I’ve had time to digest what was said in court, what was claimed afterward by Hardy’s accuser’s lawyer, and the details included in the restraining order filed against Hardy, my main emotion is sadness.
We have no idea yet who is telling the truth. It’s a he said/she said, and it’s sad that two young lives are now in the spotlight for this.Yes, this could ultimately affect the Panthers. It could certainly affect Hardy. But more importantly, this is a story with two sides, and it’s sad that whoever is telling the truth will be so affected by whoever is lying.There are many details, accusations, assumptions and rumors flying around, so let’s break it all down into what we know as of Wednesday afternoon.
WHAT WE KNOW
- Early Tuesday morning, after he was seen at a Charlotte nightclub, Hardy held an after party at his uptown condominium. Two of the attendees were his girlfriend, named in court as Nicole Holder, and his friend, Sammy Curtis.
- At 4:18 a.m., Charlotte Mecklenburg police received a domestic violence call from Hardy’s condominium. Police responded to the call and filed an incident report. In the report, police describe minor scratches and bruises on the 24-year-old Holder. She refused treatment.
- A few hours later, a warrant was filed for Hardy’s arrest. He later turned himself in on misdemeanor charges of assault on a female and communicating threats.
- Mecklenburg County policy requires a 24-hour “cooling-off period” for a person arrested and accused of domestic violence. Hardy spent Tuesday night in jail.
- At 9:35 Wednesday morning, he walked into a Mecklenburg County Courthouse courtroom handcuffed, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. Hardy stood and stared straight ahead during the 10-minute hearing. His attorney, Chris Fialko, disputed claims made by Holder.
- Fialko claimed Hardy asked Holder to leave his condominium, but she refused. She then attacked Hardy and Curtis and Hardy called 911. Fialko added that phone records show Holder later called Curtis more than a dozen times attempting to speak to Hardy.
- District Judge Becky Thorne Tin read part of the allegations against Hardy, which included “areas of bruising and swelling” on Holder’s back. Citing “concerns” about Holder’s safety, Tin ordered Hardy to avoid contact with Holder. The judge set a total bond of $17,000.
- Hardy and Holder were intoxicated during the incident. Tin ordered Hardy to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings three times per week.
- Hardy’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, attended the meeting with Curtis. They both left declining comment.
- Holder’s lawyer, Stephen Goodwin, talked to media for about 15 minutes outside the courthouse.
- Goodwin said Holder went to the emergency room Tuesday with bruises and an injury to her elbow. He said she is currently in a sling. Goodwin said Holder injured her elbow when Hardy threw her into a tiled bathtub.
- When asked why Hardy, and not Holder, called 911, Goodwin answered, “she couldn’t because she was being held down.” Goodwin added Curtis held Holder down while Hardy called 911.
- Holder was at the courthouse, but not in the courtroom for the hearing. The restraining order request was filled out during Hardy’s hearing and filed at 9:41.
- In the restraining order, Holder checked an option indicating “I believe there is danger of serious and immediate injury.” She also checked boxes accusing Hardy of having firearms and making threats with those firearms.
- Holder claimed Hardy “has approximately 25-30 firearms. Ak-47’s, automatic weapons, shotguns, rifles and pistols.”
- Holder repeated Goodwin’s accusation that Hardy threw her into a bathtub: “(He) pulled me from the tub by my hair, screaming at me that he was going to kill me, break my arms and other threats that I completely believe. He drug me across the bathroom and out into the bedroom. Hardy choked me with both hands around my throat while I was lying on the floor. Hardy picked me up over his head and threw me onto a couch covered in assault rifles and/or shotguns. I landed on those weapons. Hardy bragged that all of those assault rifles were loaded. Landing on those weapons bruised my neck and back.”
- Holder repeated Goodwin’s accusation that Curtis held her down: “I wasn’t nearly strong enough to escape. I begged them to let me go and I wouldn’t tell anyone what he did. They took me out into the hall, pushed me down and went back inside his apartment. I crawled to the elevator and ran into CMPD.”
- After filing the restraining order, Holder stood in the courthouse hallway with her sister.
- Hardy was later released from jail. Wearing a black tank top and black workout pants, he left without comment.
- Hardy’s next court date is scheduled for June 27. Before that date, the Panthers have three weeks of OTAs and a minicamp. The team is continuing its investigation.
Holder’s Facebook Page Includes Pictures of Her Trip with Hardy to January’s Pro Bowl
