Advertisement

Former NFL OL Jonathan Martin surrenders to police on charges stemming from gun threat

Jonathan Martin is reportedly facing five criminal charges stemming from a threatening Instagram post in February. (Getty Images)
Jonathan Martin is reportedly facing five criminal charges stemming from a threatening Instagram post in February. (Getty Images)

An arrest warrant was filed on Monday for former NFL offensive lineman Jonathan Martin in Los Angeles on four charges of making criminal threats and one charge of possessing a loaded firearm, TMZ reports.

Martin then turned himself in to police and pleaded not guilty in a Southern California courtroom on Tuesday afternoon. USA TODAY Sports reported that Martin posted a $210,000 bail and was released from custody following his court appearance. He will have a preliminary hearing on April 25.

The warrant stems from a Feb. 23 incident after an Instagram post on his account with a photo of a shotgun and several shells tagged his former high school, the Miami Dolphins and ex-Dolphins teammates Mike Pouncey and Richie Incognito.

“When you’re a bully victim & a coward, your options are suicide, or revenge,” the caption read.

L.A.’s Harvard Westlake high school closed out of caution for the day, just a little more than a week after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that claimed 17 lives.

TMZ also reported that Martin was in possession of 12-gauge shotgun, a knife and an axe when he was detained by police.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Martin checked into a mental facility on the day of the Instagram post, where he was detained. It was not clear if Martin attended the facility voluntarily or was forced to undergo an evaluation.

“The individual believed to be responsible for the social media post is being detained, however he is not in police custody,” LAPD spokesperson Tony Im told USA Today on the day of the incident. “The investigation is continuing, but rest assured we believe there is no threat to any school in the LA area.”

What prompted the reported arrest warrant and new charges almost a month later is not clear.

Martin’s relationship with Incognito and Pouncey goes back to the days of a 2013 Dolphins scandal that led to Martin being traded to the San Francisco 49ers and Incognito being suspended for the remainder of the season after reports that Martin was bullied in the locker room.

Incognito missed the entire 2014 season before signing in 2015 with the Buffalo Bills, where he still plays. Martin played 15 games for the 49ers in 2014, but has not played in the NFL since. He has reportedly battled depression since he was a teenager.