Recently, accusations of domestic violence against two baseball players did not originate from the usual sources, such as a police report, video or court testimony. Rather, the sources of the allegations came from social media. Kristen Eck, the former fiancée of Tampa Bays Rays catcher, Derek Norris, revealed on Instagram that she suffered physical and verbal abuse at the hands of Norris in 2015.

Melisa Russell, the wife of Chicago Cubs shortstop, Addison Russell, also wrote on Instagram about the infidelity of her husband. In addition, a friend of hers posted that Russell had struck his wife in the presence of their two young children.

Since the revelation of such accusations, Norris was waived by the Rays. Both ballplayers have issued denials of having committed the abuse. An MLB spokesman stated that the league was conducting an investigation into these cases, both of which have focused attention on the role of social media in drawing attention to domestic violence. The investigators are faced with the challenge of determining whether the allegations on social media are credible.

The cases bear some similarity to those of NFL players Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys and James Crowder of the Washington Redskins, in which women posted photos in social media indicating the injuries the players caused. In the case of Elliott, the revelation of the photos on social media resulted in the disclosure of a prior police report.

However, neither player received any discipline from the NFL. As a result of the accusation, Elliott is confronting a brief suspension, which is the equivalent of one or two games. The usual domestic violence suspension by the NFL is usually for six games. Upon completion of an investigation by the NFL, Elliott will have an opportunity to respond.

If you are facing domestic violence charges, call the criminal defense attorneys at Brill Legal Group. They will endeavor to have your charges dismissed, enter into negotiations of plea agreements, and when needed, provide a defense against charges at trial.