Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge, the Kansas City Star reports Thursday.
Merritt, dressed in orange jumpsuit, made his court appearance via Zoom.
He requested court-appointed counsel, and a public defender entered the plea on Merritt’s behalf. Johnson County District Judge Wayne Smith set a $2,500 personal recognizance bond with conditions of no alcohol, drugs or firearms, and no contact with the victim of the alleged crime, according to the newspaper.
Merritt bonded out after his hearing.
His next court date is scheduled for June 24.
On Thursday morning, the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint accusing Merritt of “unlawfully, knowingly, or recklessly” causing bodily harm to a daughter, which constitutes a domestic violence offense.
Merritt, 54, has held his job with the Chiefs since 2019. He has previously held NFL coaching jobs with the Cardinals, Giants and Jets and has spent time as a college assistant coach. The Dolphins made Merritt a seventh-round pick in 1993, and he had a brief NFL playing career before entering coaching.
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