Browns’ Quinshon Judkins won’t face formal battery charge

Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins won’t face a formal misdemeanor battery charge for an alleged domestic incident in South Florida last month, a spokesperson for the Broward State Attorney’s Office told ESPN on Thursday.

Prosecutors said they declined to pursue the charges after reviewing police reports, body-worn camera videos, video surveillance, photos, phone records and the victim’s sworn statement, according to a decline memorandum obtained by ESPN.

Judkins was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence and battery charge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on July 12. According to the arrest report, the alleged incident happened five days prior to the arrest but was not reported until July 12. Per the arrest report, Judkins, after showing frustration following reading text messages from his family, was alleged to have punched the woman with a closed fist in the chin/lip area while driving in a vehicle departing from Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Judkins then later allegedly also struck her in the left arm and thigh. The woman showed officers photographs showing bruising from the alleged assault.

“This incident was not captured on any video surveillance,” the decline memorandum read. “There are no independent witnesses to the incident. Although the victim had photos showing injuries sustained, there were also videos in that same time frame where no injuries were observed to the victim. Additionally, the victim’s injuries depicted in the photos could be explained by either account of the incident.

“Finally, there was a delayed report of the incident. The delay is problematic as the victim was alone on numerous occasions without the Defendant, had the ability and resources to make the report without his knowledge, but chose not to do so. For the reasons set forth above, there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction and this case is being declined.”

In a statement Thursday, an NFL spokesman said the league has been “following developments in the matter which remains under review.”

Judkins, the No. 36 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, is the lone unsigned member of this year’s draft class as his legal situation remained in flux. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said in late July that he was “cautiously optimistic” that Judkins would play for the team in 2025. General manager Andrew Berry had said a general framework for a deal was straightforward for Judkins, who before his arrest was one of several second-round picks seeking more guarantees in their rookie contracts.