University of Miami

Football Hall of Famer, Former UM Star Michael Irvin Won't Be Charged in Alleged Sexual Assault Case

Pro Football Hall of Famer and former University of Miami star Michael Irvin will not be charged for an alleged sexual assault claim filed earlier this year, officials said Monday.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office confirmed to NBC 6 that they were declining to file charges in the case, stemming from an alleged incident inside a Fort Lauderdale hotel in March.

Irvin and his legal team had repeatedly denied any role in the alleged incident.

"Being accused of something like this, this is as devastating as it can be," Irvin said at a news conference Monday afternoon. "I said all along that absolutely nothing happened."

Irvin said the incident has cost him millions of dollars.

Irvin, who starred at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale before a star studded career with the ‘Canes and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, was listed on a sexual battery report from Fort Lauderdale Police for an alleged incident that took place inside a hotel on March 22nd.

Police turned over the case to the State Attorney's Office on May 31st. In its decision, the SAO said that surveillance video showed Irvin and the victim did have drinks at two separate locations the night of the alleged attack, with both seen leaving the next morning and having what appeared to be an argument.

However, officials said that a variety of factors - including the results of DNA testing along with inconsistencies in statements and a lack of evidence to corroborate the victim's account - amounted to an unlikely chance for conviction.

Irvin, who had settled a prior lawsuit brought against him for sexual assault in 2011, had previously said he was in the area during that time for a relative’s sporting event and the birthday of an aunt.

"This has been the most difficult period my family and I have ever had to endure. To have to live through heinous false allegations," Irvin said during a June press conference with his South Florida-based lawyer after they said a police investigation proved he did nothing wrong.

During the ordeal, Irvin had also aacused the Fort Lauderdale Police Department of leaking details of the case to TMZ.com before he was made aware that he was being investigated. 

The police department vehemently denied those charges in a statement released Monday. 

"If anyone feels that the Fort Lauderdale Police Department has engaged in any type of inappropriate actions, and would like to make an official complaint with our department, we encourage them to do so. There are no allegations that the victim of this incident made a false police report due to the outcome of the State Attorneys Office not prosecuting the case."

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