Boston, Massachusetts – Prosecutors have dropped assault charges against Boston Bruins veteran Milan Lucic after a motion to use the 911 call made on the night of the alleged assault was filed.
During the court hearing, Assistant District Attorney Samuel Jones called the 911 operator from that call as a witness. Although Lucic was present in the courtroom, his wife declined to testify, invoking her spousal privilege.
The assault charges stemmed from an altercation between Lucic and his wife on Nov. 18, 2023. Details emerged in court that the 911 call was made once Lucic’s wife was in the lobby of her building, reporting that “her husband” had tried to strangle her after claiming he couldn’t find his phone. Lucic allegedly grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back, stating “She wasn’t going anywhere,” with responding officers noting his apparent intoxication.
The defense argued that the 911 call should be inadmissible, claiming that Lucic’s wife had time to fabricate her statement to the 911 operator before making the call. They also pointed out that she told police the red marks found on her chest were not from Lucic trying to strangle her.
In a statement, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office explained that without the victim’s participation, they could not prove the charges against Lucic beyond a reasonable doubt. The victim, who is out of state, made it clear that she intended to assert a valid privilege not to testify at trial. A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office noted that this situation is something prosecutors encounter quite often in cases involving domestic charges.
The forward was arrested last fall for assault and battery on an intimate partner after an incident at his Boston apartment, which led him to take an indefinite leave of absence from the team and enter the NHL players assistance program. At a pretrial hearing, Lucic’s attorney requested a bench trial, waiving his client’s right to a jury trial.
According to a police report, officers responded to Lucic’s residence on Nov. 18 after a woman called 911, alleging that her husband had attempted to choke her. Lucic’s wife recounted that he became upset over a cellphone and subsequently assaulted her. The police report also noted signs of intoxication and physical damage within the apartment.
Lucic, a seasoned player in the NHL who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011, has since returned to the team after signing a one-year free agent contract last summer.