According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, former Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton appeared in a Florida courtroom on Monday and he was formally charged with one misdemeanor count of domestic battery.
Sutton had been wanted on a charge of domestic battery by strangulation for his role in an alleged incident on March 7. He fled the scene of the alleged incident before police arrived. When police arrived, they found a female victim with injuries indicating an altercation had taken place.
The alleged incident came one day after court records show Sutton took part in a Zoom hearing in a paternity case. Another hearing in that case, scheduled for March 7, was canceled.
On March 20, the Hillsborough County (FL) Sheriff's Office took to social media to publicize the warrant that was out for Sutton's arrest. On March 21, the Lions released him.
On March 25 at the NFL league meetings, Lions president Rod Wood revealed Sutton was at the team facility in Allen Park working out with the strength staff when the news of the arrest warrant came. Wood added that Sutton has shown up "unexpectedly." That same day, per the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Sutton's attorneys informed them he would be turning himself in.
On Sunday night, six days after that declaration from his lawyers, Sutton turned himself in to police.
Former Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton formally charged, and released
Sutton's original charge, domestic battery by strangulation-as named in the arrest warrant, is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The formal charge in court Monday was a downgrade to a misdemeanor.
Per Birkett, via an email from the communications officer for the Florida state's attorney's office in the 13th judicial court, Sutton was released on his own recognizance after appearing in court on Monday.
Sutton has issued a statement via his attorneys Todd Foster and Jason Setchen.
A statement from former #Lions CB Cam Sutton, via his attorneys Todd Foster and Jason Setchen. pic.twitter.com/5HOfSaYLED
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 1, 2024
The Lions released Sutton with a post-June 1 designation to spread the dead money hit attached to the move out over two year. They are looking to void his fully guaranteed $10.5 million base salary for this year to greatly lessen that dead money hit. He and his agent will surely fight that void of his salary, and any attempt by the Lions to recoup signing bonus money.