More info about the night in question
PackersNews.com - Woman tossed drink at Barnett, co-owner of nightclub says
excerpt:
Woman tossed drink at Barnett, co-owner of nightclub says
Incident 'blown out of proportion,' according to Peotter
By John Lee
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
APPLETON — A woman threw a drink at Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Barnett shortly before he was arrested last weekend for allegedly shoving a woman at a downtown nightclub, one of the establishment's co-owners said Thursday.
The co-owner, Kathy Peotter, also said she was not arguing with Barnett when police arrived at the nightclub Wet, 344 W. College Ave., and subsequently arrested him on a misdemeanor battery offense.
"I think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion," Peotter said. "I'm not going to say Nick was on his best behavior that night, because he wasn't, but this is getting blown way out of proportion."
Peotter said Barnett has been coming into the club for months, and that there were more Packers than usual at the nightclub because of Sunday's Brett Favre charity softball game at Fox Cities Stadium. She said there were probably a half-dozen Packers in the club that night, at least two of them with their wives.
"They just want to be left alone," she said.
Peotter said two women who were trying to get an autograph from another player, who was at the club with his wife, swore at the player. Another fan grabbed Barnett's arm and asked for an autograph, she said.
One of the bartenders told Peotter that a woman threw a drink at Barnett shortly before a woman was shoved or fell to the ground. Peotter said it wasn't clear if it was the same woman involved in both incidents.
Barnett, 26, was jailed briefly early Sunday after the incident at the club, and Appleton police Sgt. Pat DeWall said Thursday that officers investigating the case still are conducting witness interviews. He said the department hopes reports can be sent to Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider's office early next week.
Schneider said it will be a week or more after she receives the report from police before she decides whether to formally charge Barnett.
"That's if I need additional follow-up and need to talk to witnesses any more," Schneider said.
Packers public relations director Jeff Blumb said the team would decline comment on the issue other than the extensive comments Packers coach Mike McCarthy made earlier in the week.
"I don't know if there is much we can say that he hasn't said anyway," Blumb said.
McCarthy said he has discussed the incident with Barnett. The team is concerned because of the NFL's new, stringent personal-conduct policy that allows the commissioner to suspend players for a wide range of illegal or untoward behavior off the field.
Barnett arrested after fight at nightclub
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