Food Network star Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson, who was arrested earlier this week, has pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary and strangulation, according to WDRB.
On Tuesday, Ferguson was arrested on seven charges, which include burglary, strangulation, assault, terroristic threatening, and menacing.
According to a police citation, on Jan. 2, Ferguson yelled at a woman, punched walls, and physically assaulted her by grabbing her neck with both hands, strangling her, and threatening her life, WDRB reported.
The alleged victim stated that she had difficulty breathing and lost consciousness during the incident and, upon regaining consciousness, claimed Ferguson tore her clothing and told her "she was his and no one else's," as noted in the report cited by WDRB.
According to the St. Matthews Police report in Kentucky, Ferguson is also alleged to have taken the woman's identification and credit cards.
The two are a couple though estranged, said Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Cristin Southard, who noted that a protective order has been filed against Ferguson.
Speaking with WDRB, Ferguson's attorney, Krsna Tibbs said the alleged victim did not want to proceed with any criminal prosecution of Ferguson, saying: "She thinks they can work everything out and wants to drop the charges."
Southard added that it is not uncommon for victims of domestic violence to be uncooperative in the prosecution of such cases.
A judge lowered his bond from $20,000 to $10,000 — a move that the alleged victim and her attorney agreed to, partly because she shares three children with Ferguson, who is needed to help care for them, Tibbs, said, according to WDRB.
Tibbs also informed the judge that the purported victim has retracted the accusation of being strangled. He clarified that he had discussed this matter with the attorney representing the alleged victim.
But not everyone was onboard with the new bond. Southard requested that Ferguson's bond be raised from $20,000 to $50,000.
"We have concerns that there are allegations he said he was going to kill her," she said, according to a video of the hearing.
Ferguson has posted the $10,000 and been released, according to court records.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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