UCLA senior all-conference cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. pleaded
not guilty to one count of felony assault Tuesday in Los Angeles
Superior Court.
Manning, 22, was arraigned due to a fight outside
Madison’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill last April. He was
accused of punching a customer in the parking lot of the Westwood
restaurant. A trial is set to begin in April, but Danny Davis,
Manning’s lawyer, doesn’t believe it will get to that
point.
“There is substantial evidence that it was
self-defense,” he said. “I’m optimistic that the
district attorney will reevaluate their position. It’s not a
case they can win.”
Davis said Manning would not plead guilty to a lesser charge and
would rather take his chances at getting a jury to acquit him in
trial.
According to Davis, the judge warned Deputy District Attorney
Eugene Hanrahan, who could not be reached for comment, at a
preliminary hearing earlier this month that the case against
Manning was weak.
Manning was originally charged with two counts of felony
assault, one of which was dropped at that hearing.
Davis said that Manning would likely pursue a civil lawsuit
against the two allegedly drunk complaining witnesses, one of which
“collided into Manning’s fist,” leaving it
broken. Madison’s would also be sued for providing
“cheap beer on pint night” and not adequately
protecting Manning.
Manning, who completed his collegiate eligibility in December,
finished workouts at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Monday and
is expected to be a selected in the middle rounds of April’s
draft.