Just hours after Rep. John Conyers announced he was stepping down and endorsed his son to take his seat in Congress, TMZ reported that John Conyers III was arrested earlier this year on a felony domestic violence allegation.
The elder Conyers has been under pressure over several allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. In announcing his departure, he said he wanted his son to be the one to succeed him.
According to TMZ, the arrest happened in February. The outlet reported, citing a police report, that Conyers III accused his girlfriend of cheating after looking through her computer, and that the argument turned physical. The report alleges he pinned her down and spit on her, and that he took her phone when she tried to call for help.
The woman told police that a knife came into play during a second confrontation, and TMZ reported that she was cut on her arm. Conyers III gave police a different account. He said she pulled the knife on him, that he took it away to protect himself, and that he accidentally slapped her in the process.
Police arrested him, but prosecutors did not pursue the case. According to reports, they concluded they could not prove the injury was anything other than accidental. Conyers III told CNN that he knows he is innocent and that the incident has caused him a lot of anguish. He also told the New York Times that he regrets any part he played in escalating the argument.
On the question of his father’s seat, Conyers III said the endorsement caught him off guard and that he has not made up his mind about what he plans to do.
Charges were never filed in the case, and Conyers III has denied any wrongdoing.
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