Everson Griffen -- former USC football standout, now Minnesota Viking -- arrested after alleged assault on LAPD officer

Los Angeles police used a Taser to subdue former USC football standout Everson Griffen after he allegedly assaulted an officer during a traffic stop near campus, department officials said Monday night.

Griffen, now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, was booked on suspicion of felony battery after the incident, which was reported about 4 p.m. Monday at 30th and Hoover streets, said LAPD spokeswoman Karen Rayner.

The incident took place during a routine traffic stop, Rayner said. Officers asked Griffen for his license, which turned out not to be valid, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Griffen then told them "he did not want to go back to jail" and sprinted away from the officers, who caught up with him after a short distance.

When one of the officers tried to subdue Griffen, he allegedly grabbed the officer in the groin area, the source said. Moments later, officers used a Taser to subdue him, the source said.

Griffen was arrested in 2009 in Massachusetts on suspicion of breach of the peace.

L.A. Now wrote:

Defensive back Cook denies he pulled gun

Chris Cook disputed details about an incident with a neighbor that led to his arrest in Virginia.

Chris Cook admits he got into a verbal altercation with a neighbor on Saturday, but the Vikings cornerback disputes a claim that he pulled a gun during the argument.

WSET-TV in Lynchburg, Va., reported on Sunday that Cook was arrested for brandishing a handgun during a fight with the man. Cook confirmed the arrest, but he said the confrontation didn't turn physical and that he did not brandish a gun. Cook said he does not know whether he will be charged in the case.

"I wasn't in any fight or nothing," he said. "It was just an argument."

According to his version of events, Cook said he was riding his bike near his home when a man who lives two houses down started screaming at him.

"You're not going to scream at me like I'm your child so I screamed back at him," Cook said. "He thought that I called the police on his brother for some reason. Why would I do that?"

Cook said he just received his license to carry a concealed weapon, but he denied pulling a gun on the man during their confrontation.

"He went downtown and told [the police] I pointed the gun at him," Cook said.

Cook said he accompanied police to the station to fill out paperwork but that he did not spend time in jail. A worker at the Lynchburg jail said he was not authorized to disclose whether Cook was booked this weekend.

"It's just crazy," Cook said. "I just have to deal with it the best way I can. I wish it didn't happen. I wish I would have never got in an argument, but that's what happened."

A Vikings spokesman declined to comment. The team is not allowed to have contact with Cook because of the NFL lockout.

Cook's arrest came one day after the league locked out its players. There were questions about whether Cook's legal troubles would be subject to review by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell under the personal conduct policy because it happened during the lockout. The league and teams are prohibited from having contact with players during the work stoppage.

Cook can't be punished during the lockout, but his case would be reviewed once the lockout is over, according to a league spokesman.

Cook was the Vikings' first pick in the 2010 draft, a second-round selection who impressed the team with his play in training camp. However, his season was ruined by two separate knee injuries. Cook started five games and played in six. He finished the season on injured reserve after the team shut him down because of pain in his knees.

Cook is the second Vikings player arrested this offseason. Everson Griffen was arrested twice in a span of three days in Los Angeles last month.

StarTribune.com wrote:

Until they get someone that outdoes Chmura, I stay out of these pissing matches.

"DakotaT" wrote:

"DakotaT" wrote:

"DakotaT" wrote:

Chmura put himself in a horrible situation. He's a douchebag because he was too morally superior to go visit Slick Willy in the White House.

OJ was squeezed through possiblity of reasonable doubt, but I'm pretty sure he just about decapitaed his ex-wife.

"DakotaT" wrote:

Stick to the facts lawyer Zero. He was drunk at a teenagers hot tub party. That in itself is extremely creepy. I'll think what I damn well want to about Chmura - and noone from the Vikings has outdone that - not even Mckinnie eating out strippers.

"DakotaT" wrote: