Cowboys rookie Jourdan Lewis to stand trial for domestic violence charge

The Michigan alum was charged with the misdemeanor in March when he was involved in an altercation

Jourdan Lewis, the Dallas Cowboys third round pick, will stand trial on Monday for one charge of domestic violence after a pretrial hearing on Thursday. Lewis, who was charged with the misdemeanor in March, allegedly grabbed a woman's neck and held her to the floor for several seconds before storming out of their apartment. Lewis asserts that any contact was incidental to him trying to leave the apartment. Police didn't see any injuries when they arrived.

The trial will be held in Ann Arbor's 15th district court, where opening statements and jury selection will take place. Lewis is unsure if he'll be able to start training camp with his new team, but he and his attorney John Shea don't seemed particularly concerned about the trial. "Some cases have to be tried," Shea said. "This is one of them." 

This case is not news to the Cowboys. Owner Jerry Jones said that they vetted Lewis thoroughly for the allegation, and were content with what they found. Lewis is coming off an excellent career at the University of Michigan, specializing as a slot corner. He has told reporters since April that this case will not be a problem. 

"I completely think that all charges will be dropped and I think I will be exonerated from everything," he said. "I'm completely innocent. I believe that wholeheartedly. And I'm just going to have to see what happens in my next trial date."

Whether or not Lewis is convicted, some Cowboys fans may have some trouble with having another player under investigation so soon after the circus surrounding last year's first round pick, Ezekiel Elliott, who is still under investigation by the NFL and could face a suspension as a result of a domestic violence allegation. Lewis will need to see the field sooner rather than later if people aren't going to start questioning Dallas's decision-making.