Hope Solo’s trial on domestic-violence charges is set for January

Hope Solo will face trial early next year on two counts of misdemeanor domestic-violence charges after allegedly striking her half-sister and nephew at a family gathering in June.

Kirkland (Wash.) Municipal Court Judge Michael Lambo set a Jan. 20 trial date during a brief court hearing Tuesday, which the U.S. national soccer team goalie attended.

Her attorney, Todd Maybrown, persuaded Lambo to allow the alleged victims to be deposed with a court stenographer present. Solo’s 17-year-old nephew and his mother had refused to talk to Maybrown with a stenographer present, the Seattle Times reports.

The alleged incident took place at the Kirkland home of Solo’s half-sister. According to court documents, the soccer star’s nephew told police his aunt had been drinking and was in a bad mood and told him he was “too fat and overweight and crazy to ever be an athlete.”

The court documents say that an argument ensued and that Solo eventually punched her nephew in the face and tackled him. Solo also attacked the boy’s mother after she tried to intervene, with the teen trying to pull his aunt off his mother and breaking a wooden broom over Solo’s head, according to the documents.

The teen also pointed a broken BB gun at Solo, documents say.

Solo, who continues to play with the U.S. team as it prepares for the women’s World Cup next summer, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Maybrown has argued that Solo was the victim and said Tuesday that the two-time Olympic gold medalist was acting in self-defense.

Twitter: @chewkiii