Prosecutors in Florida have charged former NBA star Dennis Rodman with a single count of misdemeanor battery.
The charge stems from a May 2019 incident at a Delray Beach bar. According to the police report, Rodman is accused of slapping a fellow bar goer twice in the face with an open hand. The victim, whose name is redacted in the report, says he woke up the next morning with swelling in the face.
The police officer who took the report says that no swelling or injuries were observed on the victim at the time of the report, which was filed two days after the alleged incident.
Rodman was at the bar celebrating his 58th birthday with friends when the alleged battery happened.
A lawyer for Rodman appeared in a Delray Beach courtroom on Thursday and entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the former basketball player.
If convicted, Rodman could face up to a year in county jail, 12 months of probation and a $1,000 fine.
Rodman has had multiple run ins with the the law over the years, including an arrest for DUI in 2018 and a hit-and-run auto collision in 2016.
A state official say that most misdemeanor charges often result in a plea deal or diversion program.
Since retiring from the NBA, Rodman has also drawn scrutiny for his unlikely friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who is reportedly an avid basketball fan. He was also recently the subject of an ESPN documentary, “Rodman: For Better or Worse.”
