Miami (AFP) – Former world 100m champion Fred Kerley has denied he was arrested as claimed for battery but because he exercised his right to remain silent until his lawyer was present after a “physical altercation.” Kerley, who won 100m gold at the 2022 World Championships and took bronze in the event at the Paris Olympics, said in a statement the arrest was down to a “misunderstanding.” He missed the Grand Slam track meet in Miami after he was detained last Thursday by police in Broward County, Florida.
Arrest records showed Kerley, who turns 30 on Wednesday, had been arrested on a charge of touch or strike battery and remained in jail as of early Friday. Reports said the American had been arrested following an incident at the official hotel for the Grand Slam Track event, the second stop on Michael Johnson’s new circuit.
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“While there was a physical altercation, my arrest was not due to any criminal act,” Kerley wrote on Instagram. “Rather, it resulted from my decision to exercise right remain silent until legal counsel was present. I chose not to speak to law enforcement without my attorney, and for that reason alone I was booked.”
Kerley, who also won a 100m silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, apologised to his fans and Grand Slam, adding the “experience had ‘caught (him) off guard.’ “I remain fully committed to clearing my name,” he said. “I take full accountability for placing myself in a situation that allowed for this misunderstanding. I am taking active steps to ensure nothing like this happens again.”
Kerley, a member of two world title-winning relay teams (4x400m in 2019 and 4x100m in 2023), has had several brushes with the law in recent months. In January he was arrested by police in Miami Beach following a confrontation with officers that led to him being tasered. He was subsequently charged with battery against a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Separately in January, Kerley was also charged with domestic violence by strangulation following an incident in May 2024.
© 2024 AFP
