In addition to sitting out five games on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has filed a civil lawsuit seeking a permanent injunction to stop the release of records and surveillance video from a May 23 domestic altercation at his home, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky’s report.
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On Tuesday, the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department stated that it would release “certain records with appropriate redactions” from the May 23 altercation. ESPN also submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for evidence in the case.
However, on Wednesday, Jacobs filed the civil action to keep those records “permanently sealed.”
That records announcement came after Brown County Judge Marc Hammer lifted a temporary seal on the case records on September 24, denying a motion to permanently seal the evidence and turning the decision of whether to release part or all of the records over to the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department.
“Jacobs also argues in the lawsuit that releasing the video ‘would reveal private details’ of his garage’s interior, including the ‘configuration, entrances, exits, doors, windows, storage areas, security arrangements, or other details that could be used to evaluate how the garage or residence might be entered,'” Demovsky reported.
“Public sports figures have been targeted for robbery and related property crimes. The public availability of Plaintiff’s schedule or travel information increases the risk that persons could identify periods when Plaintiff is away from home and use released information concerning the residence, garage, access points, security arrangements, or property to target the property. Widespread public dissemination of those details would materially increase Plaintiff’s vulnerability to theft, burglary, robbery, trespass, or other targeted criminal conduct,” Josh Jacobs’ lawsuit further states, per ESPN.
The woman involved in the altercation, identified as Jane Doe ANM, has also filed a separate lawsuit seeking to block the release of the evidence, primarily the garage video.
Supporting her request in his filing, Josh Jacobs’ lawsuit states: “Plaintiff joins ANM’s position and supports her request to protect her privacy, dignity, personal security, emotional well-being, and ability to participate safely in the criminal justice process. ANM is a crime victim who seeks closure, not public attention.”
Jacobs also contends in the suit that “redaction limited to names or faces would not adequately protect ANM. In addition, with today’s advanced AI her body shape and other indicia of her identity in the video could lead to identifying her.”
Josh Jacobs has been on the Commissioner’s Exempt List since August 30 and will likely miss the Packers’ game against the Dallas Cowboys on October 18. It has been alleged that Jacobs, during the May 23 altercation, threw his girlfriend to the ground, causing injury to the back of her head, and damaged her phone; he was arrested on May 26 and formally charged with two misdemeanors on August 27.
On September 10, Jacobs pleaded no contest to battery and criminal damage to property, was fined $1,000 on the battery charge, and agreed to a deferred judgment agreement on the criminal damage to property count.
While no court hearings have been scheduled on Jacobs’ injunction filing, the NFL is also trying to obtain the video as part of its Personal Conduct Policy investigation, and any time Jacobs serves on the exempt list would count toward a suspension.
“Josh Jacobs still sits on the Exempt List, and the video release is still the holdup. The league operates on their own standards. Even if the video gets sealed by the legal process, they can still ask/expect Jacobs to willingly share this to them as part of their investigation,” analyst Ken Ingalls posted on X.
In the meantime, while Josh Jacobs’ return timeline remains unresolved, the Green Bay Packers currently have the worst rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 60.4 yards on the ground with two touchdowns through five weeks, compared to the 611 rushing yards recorded in the first five games last season.
“I’ve got no updates there,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said earlier this week when asked for new information on Jacobs. The head coach shrugged his shoulders and stated it was out of his hands when asked if he could expedite the league’s process, as Green Bay continues splitting backfield work between MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr., and Kaleb Johnson with Chris Brooks on injured reserve.