Milton Bradley, who played as an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners, is facing up to 13 years in jail after being charged with abusing his estranged wife, L.A. prosecutors announced Friday.
The 34-year-old Bradley was charged on Thursday with 13 misdemeanor counts of assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and dissuading a witness from making a report.
If Bradley is convicted of the charges, not only will he face 13 years behind bars, but he could also face up to $13,000 in fines and restitution.
He is currently free and his arraignment will be held Jan. 24.
According to prosecutors Bradley threatened and attacked his estranged wife five times in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, he was arrested twice at his home.
“During one incident in November 2012, Bradley allegedly pushed his wife against a kitchen wall and choked her with both hands after she requested that he stop smoking marijuana in front of their children and asked that his friends leave her San Fernando Valley home,” said a statement from the city attorney’s office.
Bradley has had repeated confrontations with his wife. According to prosecutors, he has kicked her in the ribs, approached her with a baseball bat and threatened her with a knife.
Harland Braun, Bradley’s attorney, said that his client has denied all the accusations made by his wife.
“He [Bradley] said, ‘She’s making up stories. I don’t know what she’s talking about,’ ” Braun said.
The couple have two children together and are currently entrenched in a nasty divorce.
Bradley, who played 11 years in the majors, has a .271 career batting average. His last season was with the Mariners in 2011 before being released by the club.
His career was plagued by several disturbing outbursts. Bradley threw a water bottle at fans and had a clubhouse encounter with a reporter, which subsequently led to his trade from the Dodgers to the Oakland Athletics. The Mariners suspended him for one game for bumping an umpire for arguing a strike.
Bradley is currently a free agent.
