At this point, it's unknown when we'll see Jose Reyes playing shortstop for the Colorado Rockies in the 2016 season. Reyes, 32, was arrested on Oct. 31 in Maui on domestic violence charges. He's among the first players to test MLB's new domestic-violence policy and we have no idea what could happen there.
There's a new wrinkle too. The New York Daily News reported Friday that Reyes is scheduled to stand trial in Maui County. The date is set for April 4, or what keen baseball fans might recognize as Opening Day 2016, when the Rockies are scheduled to visit the Arizona Diamondbacks.
[Related:*MLB announces new domestic violence policy and commish has ultimate power]
Reyes has pleaded not guilty to charges of "abuse of a family and/or household member." The charges stem from a Halloween altercation at a Maui hotel in which Reyes is alleged to have gotten into an argument with his wife, Katherine Ramirez, that turned physical. According to a press release from the Maui PD, she was treated at Maui Memorial Medical Center when Reyes was arrested.*
How the law treats this matter and how MLB treats it are two different things: The league can investigate any issue in which it finds merit and assign its own penalties.*Under MLB's new policy, which was adopted last summer, Commissioner Rob Manfred has ultimate authority to punish players. Since Reyes was the first player arrested on abuse charges after the policy went into effect, there's no precedent for what kind of suspension we might be facing from MLB. Although, the latest reports said MLB was planning to announce it decision before spring training.*
In Hawaii, Reyes has time to decide if he wants to go through with a trial. He could still plead guilty. Prosecutor Kerry Glen told the Daily News she would consider a deal.*Reyes, however, could be waiting to see what MLB decides before deciding what to do in court. It's safe to assume that a guilty plea could impact Manfred's decision.
There's also this to consider: A domestic violence conviction could mean Reyes gets booted out of the U.S. From the Daily News:
Even if the Dominican-born Reyes reaches a plea deal, however, there are potential serious ramifications to Reyes’ career if he is not a U.S. citizen. According to Michael Wildes, a former federal prosecutor and a managing partner at Wildes & Weinberg, convictions for domestic violence can lead to deportation.
"Domestic violence can see an individual get deported if he or she is not a U.S. citizen,” said Wildes. “Once punished, the government has the authority to remove an individual for a crime involving moral turpitude and aggravated felony. It can be a very fast track for immigration officials to issue a removal proceeding. The only way to prevent removal is to be exonerated or have the charges dismissed, or if the government believes it's a "he said, she said" matter. I would hope Mr. Reyes has a good immigration lawyer."
There's a lot up in the air for Reyes at the moment. But if we're talking about baseball and opening day, the odds don't seem good that he'd be suiting up for the Rockies.
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