Following the release of new footage from Scottie Scheffler's arrest, his lawyer, Steve Romines, has vehemently defended his client's innocence and denied any wrongdoing. Romines declared that Scheffler would not seek a settlement and that he was confident the case would either be tried or dismissed.
After the disclosure of new footage related to Scottie Scheffler's arrest during the PGA Championship, his attorney, Steve Romines, has reiterated his client's innocence. Romines proclaimed that Scheffler was not at fault and that they were not interested in settling the case. He expressed confidence that the evidence supports Scheffler's account and that he would either be exonerated or the case would proceed to trial.
"Scottie Scheffler didn't do anything wrong," Romines asserted. "We're not interested in settling the case. We will either try it, or it will be dismissed. It's very simple. All the evidence that continues to come out just continues to support what Scottie said all along. This was a chaotic situation and miscommunication, and he didn't do anything wrong."
The Louisville Police Chief, Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, announced in a joint press conference that Detective Bryan Gillis, who apprehended Scheffler, had faced disciplinary action for not activating his body camera during the incident. Gwinn-Villaroel emphasized the importance of body-worn cameras for maintaining community trust and transparency.
"His failure to do so is a violation of the LMPD policy on uniforms and equipment, subject category body worn camera," Gwinn-Villaroel stated. "We understand the seriousness of the failure to capture this interaction, which is why our officer has received corrective action for this policy violation. This corrective action has been notated on a performance observation form, which is in line with our disciplinary protocol and practices. We respect the judicial process, and we will allow the course to proceed accordingly. We will not be able to make any further statements as relates to this matter."
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg stressed the significance of body-worn cameras and expressed a desire for all parties, including Scheffler, to move forward. He commended the LMPD for their efforts during the incident and emphasized the need to focus on crime reduction and public safety.
"Activating body-worn cameras, it is critically important for our police department to have evidence to maintain the community's trust, to be transparent," Greenberg said. "LMPD needs to be focused on reducing the amount of violent crime in our city, reducing the amount of gun violence, protecting and keeping people safe."
Footage of Scheffler's arrest, initially shared by ESPN's Jeff Darlington, showed Scheffler being handcuffed and escorted to a police vehicle. Scheffler's mugshot was also widely circulated on social media. Scheffler maintained his innocence, describing the incident as a "big misunderstanding."
According to an arrest report, Scheffler allegedly "refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging" an officer on the ground. However, released video footage appears to depict a police officer approaching Scheffler's vehicle as he attempted to enter the golf course.
Scheffler expressed gratitude for the officers' assistance, stating, "They were really kind. I'm grateful that we have such strong police, and they're our protectors out there. And, like I said, we just got into a chaotic situation this morning. That's really all it was."
Scheffler's arraignment has been postponed due to a scheduling conflict. There are reports that all charges against him may be dropped. Scheffler is currently competing in the Charles Schwab challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.
