Former Washington Redskins Wide Receiver Josh Morgan Pleads Not Guilty to Assault

A former Washington Redskins wide receiver pleaded not guilty to an assault charge filed following accusations he punched a valet driver outside a popular D.C. nightclub last month.

Kenneth Johnson told News4 Washington’s Pat Collins he was working as a valet driver around 1 a.m. April 27 when a large SUV pulled up to Cities Restaurant and Lounge just off K Street downtown. Josh Morgan, who signed with the Chicago Bears a week earlier, got out with two women. Johnson said he looked at the women, which apparently upset Morgan.

According to court documents, Morgan said, "You gonna look at my girl like that, cuz?" Johnson replied, "Dog, it's cool. I'm at work and you're about to go into a club and have fun."

Morgan is accused of then punching Johnson in the face with a closed fist, according to court documents.

"I was just standing there and I looked up, and in the blink of an eye he just punched me right in the mouth," Johnson said. "Instantly my mouth is bleeding profusely, just blood coming out all over my jacket and stuff. I was scared. I didn't know what to do."

Johnson told Collins he didn't do anything to provoke Morgan.

"It's not fair for anybody to go around punching people just doing their job," Johnson said. "I didn't say anything disrespectful to the lady. I didn't look at her or sexualize her in any way. I just looked in the direction and I got hit."

Morgan denies any wrongdoing.

“I’m not worried about nothing,” Morgan said in a phone interview with News4 April 28. “I know I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Morgan, 28, graduated from Washington's H.D. Woodson High School and played college football at Virginia Tech. He played for the San Francisco 49ers for four years before spending the past two seasons with the Redskins. He caught 68 passes for 724 yards and two touchdowns over two years for the Skins, starting 22 of the 30 regular season games in which he played.

If convicted he faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

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