Last week, a Santa Barbara courthouse sentenced NFL Miami Dolphins linebacker Koa Misi to three years of misdemeanor probation and several sessions of anger management and community service for committing a physical assault in Isla Vista in April 2011.
Misi was arrested in March 2012 for the incident, and pled guilty to felony charges of battery causing serious bodily injury soon after. However, the judge ruled the crime a misdemeanor last week, since it was categorized as a wobbler, which can be ruled as a felony or misdemeanor. Misi was given the lesser charge as he holds no prior criminal history and paid $42,000 in restitution, paying for damage to a door and phone as well as the victim’s hospital bills.
In April 2011, Misi was out in Isla Vista and engaged in a verbal shouting match from the street with residents whom were on a second-floor balcony. He entered the home by punching a hole through the door and struck one of the residents, injuring his orbital bone. He then proceeded to throw the phone of a female witness onto the ground when she attempted to call the police.
According to District Attorney Anthony Davis, terms and conditions from Misi’s three-year probation require him to attend 12 sessions of anger management, complete 400 hours of community service, refrain from entering Isla Vista during his probationary period, obey laws and make no contact with the victim.
This June, Misi’s attorney will represent him in Santa Barbara to prove he has completed his anger management sessions and made a reasonable amount of progress on community service. Misi does not need to be present during the representation.
