Lawyers issue statement in response to arrest of Xavier Worthy

On Friday, Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy was arrested for assault. Lawyers Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett have issued a statement on Worthy's behalf, a copy of which was forwarded by text to PFT.

"We are aware of the allegation that led to Mr. Worthy's arrest," the statement begins. "We are working with law enforcement in Williamson County to ensure they have the benefit of the totality of circumstances that led to this allegation.

"The complainant was asked multiple times over the last two weeks to vacate Mr. Worthy's residence upon discovery of her infidelity, which a private investigator has video evidence of. She has refused to vacate the residence and made a number of extortive efforts prior to resorting to this baseless allegation against Mr. Worthy. The complainant further destroyed a room in the residence, scratched Mr. Worthy's face and ripped out parts of his hair, which there is photographic evidence of. Mr. Worthy told law enforcement at the time of the incident that he did not want to press charges against the complainant.

"We will continue to cooperate with Williamson County authorities as we have full faith their thorough investigation will support Mr. Worthy's innocence."

Specifically, Worthy is accused of "assault of a family or house member by impeding the breathing or circulation." Via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com, it's a third-degree felony with punishment of 2-10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Felony charges routinely are negotiated down to misdemeanors, and first-time offenders commonly receive little or no jail time. Still, the gravity of the initial charge speaks to the severity of the problem Worthy could be facing under the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy.

The baseline punishment under the Personal Conduct Policy for assault is six games. It can go up or down, based on the circumstances. And the league's in-house process unfolds without regard to the outcome of the criminal case.