Attorney: Video shows Aaron Donald did not commit assault

L.A. Rams defensive tackle actually comes to aide of victim

Casey White, an attorney representing Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, says a surveillance video actually shows his client helping the man accusing him of assault.

Donald has been accused of severely beating De'Vincent Springs in an altercation last weekend.

In an interview with radio station 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, White said Donald had nothing to do with the injuries to Spriggs. Further, Spriggs himself sparked the incident, and Donald actually saved him from further injury.

According to Spriggs’ attorney, his client filed criminal charges against Donald for an alleged assault that occurred between 3 to 4 a.m. Sunday morning at an after-hours club on the South Side of Pittsburgh.

Donald allegedly beat Spriggs, the incident leaving him with the incident him with a concussion, 16 stitches in his eye and a broken nose.

White disputes the specifics of the case. White said according to Donald, he and another person went to a party at an apartment above a bar in the South Side of Pittsburgh. About 10 minutes into the time they are there, Spriggs jabs Donald in the back with his elbow, initiates a confrontation and is escorted out of the apartment by other people at the party.

White said a short time later Donald and his brother Archie Donald Sr. went outside to leave the party and were confronted again by Spriggs, who aggressively approaches the two with something in his right hand.

Aaron Donald initially thought it was a gun, but it was a long liquor bottle. White said Spriggs came at Donald, with the bottle grazing the top of his head. White said Donald has a lump on his head from being struck with the bottle.

“That’s when all hell breaks loose,” White said. “As soon as Aaron is struck, the party goers and people that know Aaron grab him from behind, and at this point in time Mr. Spriggs gets tuned up.”

White said there’s no disputing Spriggs’ injuries. He went on to say that the party goers acted in defense of Donald, and he has the surveillance video and five corroborating witnesses that back up his claim.

“As this fight, escalation or whatever you want to call it continues, Aaron breaks free from the restraints,” White said, according to the video. “He then goes to the pile where this melee is taking place, and he starts tearing people off protecting Mr. Spriggs. He actually saves Mr. Spriggs from further injury.”

White said that he received an email from the Pittsburgh police department that said: “I agree thus far that there is no evidence from that video that shows Donald assaulting the victim.” 

UPDATE: The video below appears to be the surveillance video White is talking about.