Despite the domestic violence assault charges against Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy having been expunged earlier this week, it seems the issue is unlikely to fade into the distance for the reeling Cowboys or Hardy. On Friday, Deadspin released a gallery of photos from the night that Hardy allegedly assaulted his then-girlfriend, Nicole Holder, slamming her into a tile wall in the bathroom before tossing her onto a bed covered in guns.
You can see the pictures here. (Warning: Link contains graphic images)
Hardy avoided prosecution when Holder failed to show at a bench hearing last year. With the charges having been expunged and Hardy's four-game suspension having been served, it seems he was ready to return to being a household name for his exploits on the field and not his transgressions off it.
Unfortunately, with the release of the photos and further details from the night in question, Hardy may never be able to shake the rap as a woman-beater, even though his version of events has consistently painted him, and not Holder, as the victim.
Per Deadspin's report, on May 12, 2014, Holder and her friend and co-worker Laura Iwanicki, were invited to Hardy's residence by the then-Carolina Panthers defensive end's personal assistant, Sammy Curtis.
A night of drinking, drugs - Holder admitted to doing cocaine - and bar hopping ensued. Back at Hardy's apartment, Holder told police that things changed instantly when she and Hardy found themselves alone in a back room.
"I tried to get up, he pushed me," she said, "then I started fighting back, he threw me into the bathroom, I hit the back of the shower wall and fell into the bathtub where he pulled me out."
Hardy then threw her on the rifle-covered futon, before standing over her and strangling her with both his hands.
Per Deadspin's report of Holder's recounting, Hardy then seemed to realize what he'd done. He called Curtis into the room, pulled out his cellphone and began filming and started hurling insults at Holder in an effort to get her to "flip out on him."
Hardy then called police and accused Holder of assault. When police arrived on the scene, they discovered Holder running down the street.
