The attorney for former Florida State quarterback De'Andre Johnson claimed Tuesday that the attack on a woman at a bar two weeks ago was provoked by racial remarks.
Jose Baez told NBC News during the "Today" show that the 21-year-old woman shouted racial epithets and raised a fist after Johnson touched her while waiting to order at a bar on June 24 in Tallahassee, Fla.
Baez also said the woman kneed Johnson, who is 19, in the groin and took a swing before he punched her in the face.
"It wasn't until she struck him twice that he reacted," Baez told NBC. "But he is very ... he is very regretful that he didn't turn around and walk away immediately."
Surveillance cameras showed Johnson striking the woman. She sustained facial injuries, including a black eye, during the incident, state attorney Willie Meggs said.
Johnson, a redshirt freshman from Jacksonville, Fla., who was the state's Mr. Football in 2014, was dismissed from the Florida State football team by Coach Jimbo Fisher on Monday night.
Johnson faces misdemeanor battery charges in Leon County. He is scheduled to appear at a case management hearing on July 22.
"He makes no excuses for what happened," Baez told NBC.
Florida State president John Thrasher said in a statement that he backs Johnson's dismissal from the program.
"While it is always important to adhere to due process, having now seen the physical altercation captured on video, there is no question in my mind that Coach Fisher made the correct decisions," Thrasher said. "I expect all students at Florida State University, including student-athletes, to adhere to the highest level of conduct. I have no tolerance for the kind of behavior exhibited in this case.
"Florida State University was forged from an outstanding college for women and has a long tradition of being a caring community that demands students be treated with dignity and respect."
