Shortly after the first preseason game for the 2024 Cleveland Browns, rookie defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. was arrested and charged for misdemeanor domestic violence. More disturbing than the charge was the details of the police report. Hall was accused of holding a loaded gun to the head of his fiancée and mother of his child. Both Hall and the Cleveland Browns received much criticism for this incident and how it was handled.

Michael Hall was out of jail after posting a bond. He was seen at practice for the Cleveland Browns the very next day. Hall even played in the next preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings the following weekend. Fans, beat reporters, and podcasters were outraged that Hall wasn’t released. I can also admit that initially I was concerned about the allegations against Hall. But there is more to the story of what happened.

When the Hall incident first occurred, the Cleveland Browns released a statement saying that they were aware of what happened, and they are waiting for more information. Recently it was reported that Hall’s fiancée recanted her statement of Hall pointing a gun to her head. Also, there was another incident when Hall’s fiancée was charged with a domestic incident in Columbus Ohio against Hall himself. That charge was later dismissed. Hall’s arrest could void his guaranteed money in his contract with the Cleveland Browns if he gets released by the team. This story has shown an unfortunate pattern in the modern era of reporting news.

Winston Churchill said, “a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on”. Professional and amateur athletes have been accused of doing horrible things and later found to be innocent. The Duke lacrosse team, Trevor Baur, and punter Matt Araiza first come to mind. We live in a hyper information era where information, rumors, and speculation travels at lightning-fast speeds. But not all information is factually correct. As a professional, I chose to wait for more information before writing about Michael Hall’s arrest. I am sure there is more to the story to be revealed. Waiting for more information before reacting shows prudence and maturity. I think this is a lesson we can all learn from this story.