The Saints' offseason looks like it's not getting off to a good start. The Baton Rouge Advocate reports:
WRNO-99.5 FM radio host Gerry Vaillancourt, a well-known local sports personality, tweeted on Monday morning that Galette was being questioned in connection to a domestic violence case, but Kenner police could not immediately confirm that.
Galette bought a house in the Jefferson Parish municipality of Kenner in September, and that is his residence, public records show.
Other outlets are reporting basically the same thing. There are no further details at this time but we will pass them on when they become available. We're still very early in the report, so let's see how this develops before we rush to judgement. Whatever happened and why, Junior isn't doing much to endear himself to the Saints front office this offseason. This plus the poor choice of words earlier in the season may have the Saints wondering if he's worth the large contract extension they signed him to in September.
If he was charged with domestic violence, the NFL's new personal conduct policy would mandate a 6-game suspension for this his first offense.
SB Nation has more on his contract:
Galette signed a six-year contract with the Saints in September and is due a $12.5 million roster bonus on March 12 in addition to his $1.25 million base salary. Releasing Galette would account for $16.2 million in dead money though, making any roster move involving the outside linebacker unlikely.
Junior Galette and 2nd male in custody for alleged domestic violence .. Updating...99.5 WRNO
— GERRY V (@gvtalk) January 5, 2015
Updated story: Jr. Galette charged with simple battery/domestic violence, comments from Kenner Police. http://t.co/jpM7QPSGkd
— WWL-TV Sports (@wwltvsports) January 5, 2015
OK, full details from Kenner Police plus mugs of Junior Galette and his cousin are now up: http://t.co/AwaLxFIn0F
— Michelle Hunter NOLA (@MichelleHunter) January 5, 2015
UPDATE:
New Orleans Saints' Junior Galette, cousin accused of roughing up woman in Kenner
New Orleans' Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette, 26, was arrested Monday (Jan. 5) and booked with simple battery involving domestic violence in connection with an incident at his Kenner home. Police also arrested Galette's cousin, Terrance Banks, 27, of Newark, N.J., and booked him with simple battery.
The pair is accused of roughing up a 22-year-old woman from Metairie who identified herself as an assistant of Galette's who had been staying with him for about two years, said Lt. Brian McGregor, spokesman for the Kenner police.
"Junior and Terrance jumped me," the woman told investigators when they were dispatched to a home in the 4400 block of Rue de la Harbor about 8:52 a.m., McGregor said.
The victim told police she had spent the night at Galette's residence and tried to rouse him in the morning to get money for a cab. Galette woke up his cousin and told him to take care of it. But both men then told the woman they weren't giving her any money and ordered her out of the house.
The three began arguing. The woman said Galette pushed her twice in an attempt to get her to leave the house.
"Then, I fell down," she told police, "Then they both was on me, and I couldn't breathe."
The woman said she tried to fight both men, but couldn't. Galette is then accused of picking up the woman to put her out. The woman said she grabbed a knife to defend herself because she believed the two men were going to "jump her," according to McGregor.
Galette began videotaping the woman using a cell phone. Kenner Police seized a phone that Galette had in his possession at the time of arrest. Investigators are seeking a search warrant to look through the device, McGregor said.
Galette told police the woman isn't his significant other. He said she was a "dancer" and hadn't been with him, McGregor said.
Galette and Banks were being held Monday afternoon at the Kenner jail. Bond for Galette is preset at $600. Banks' bond is $300. The men will be processed at the jail, fingerprinted and photographed and will have the opportunity to bond out, McGregor said.