Two years ago former NFL player Zac Stacy was arrested on felony assault charges after his baby mama Kristin Evans leaked a shocking video of him brutally assaulting in front of their child. Yesterday reports revealed that Stacy has been sentenced to 6 months jail time and one year’s probation after accepting a plea deal.
Social media users were shocked at the sentencing he received for the brutal beating. At the time his ex-girlfriend said the Nov. 13 incident left her with “serious and likely permanent” injuries. She shared, “I was punched, slapped, literally picked up and thrown into my TV and then (he) picked me up and slammed me into my son’s bouncy seat by my throat. This is not the first time he has been violent with me. I am afraid for my safety and for my children’s safety,” Evans said in court, according to the outlet.
More were shocked that his brutalized victim is now coming to his defense.
Evans advocated for mental health treatment rather than prison time on Tuesday, saying it would protect the son she shared with Zac Stacey from further “trauma”
The former St. Louis Rams player reportedly fled the state of Florida after an arrest warrant was issued. A week later, he was arrested upon arrival at the Orlando International Airport and charged with aggravated battery and criminal mischief.
Earlier this month in Orange County, Florida, Stacy, 31, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal mischief, and as a result of his plea, the battery charges against him were dropped.
“People who are willing to put in work to be better, deserve an opportunity to show that they can be better,” she wrote in the video’s caption.
Evans said that at first, following the attack in 2021, Stacy “showed no signs of remorse and he ran to another state, so I released the videos so he would get arrested.”
In the time since then, however, she said the former NFL running back had made significant improvements to his life.
“He decided to change,” said Evans. “Through cognitive behavioral therapy, he was able to make a significant adjustment in his behavior and communication. And over the last six months, he’s consistently shown an improvement as well as our son enjoying spending time with him.”
Evans added that many people who advocate for harsh sentencing also don’t understand the difficulty that domestic abuse survivors have in trying to balance their safety “with what’s right for our children.”
“I have to speak to this man and exchange a child and co-parent a child with this man for the rest of my life,” Evans said. She also expressed that she “didn’t advocate for jail” because of “the lack of resources, the lack of rehabilitation, the lack of education for mental health, and the psychological effect it may have on our son, having already developed a relationship with his father.”
At the close of her post, she asked for “grace in understanding” that she’s not “being easy” on her ex-boyfriend, but trying to protect her son “from anymore trauma.”
Watch her explanation below. Thoughts?
