Had No Reason to Call 911, Brown’s Wife Says

The wife of Hall of Fame football star Jim Brown said in a 911 call that he beat her car with a shovel and threatened to kill her, but on Wednesday, she denied ever feeling threatened and claimed police overreacted.

“I dialed 911 and I used it because I was angry. I was trying to get leverage,” Monique Brown said Wednesday at the couple’s home, where the media were summoned to hear the 911 tape.

“There was no reason to call. There was no emergency,” she said, her husband at her side. “I did not feel threatened at any time--never felt I was in any danger.”

On the 911 emergency call transcript provided by the couple, Mrs. Brown identifies herself only as Monique Brown and she doesn’t mention her husband is Jim Brown.

The Browns would not comment about the reference to a history of domestic violence, but lawyer William Graysen said the former football star has no recent criminal record for domestic violence.

However, Brown has a long history of arrests.

Brown, 63, denied threatening his wife and alleged that police harassed and coerced her into making statements about abuse.

Brown, who was arrested June 15, pleaded not guilty to one count of making terrorist threats and one count of vandalism, both misdemeanors. Trial is set for Aug. 17.

Lara Bloomquist, who supervises the city attorney’s domestic violence unit, said Monique Brown, 25, was on the trial witness list, but “whether she’ll be for the prosecution remains to be seen.”

Bloomquist said the woman’s claim the case was not serious is not unusual in domestic violence cases. About two-thirds of domestic violence victims seen by her office recant their stories, she said.

If convicted, Brown could be sentenced to 18 months in jail, three years’ probation and domestic violence counseling.