Joe Maese, a former Ravens player, has brought second-degree assault charges against Ravens safety Gerome Sapp.
Maese filed misdemeanor charges in Baltimore City District Court against Sapp stemming from an incident Saturday at Power Plant Live in downtown Baltimore, according to Maese and online court records.
“It was really a surprise to me. I didn?t see it coming, especially since we were teammates,” said Maese, 29.
“I don?t even know what it was about. We are trying to put it together with people who witnessed it.”
Maese said he visited the courtyard in front of the bars to pick up a friend when the alleged assault occurred.
He declined to elaborate, pending a meeting with his lawyer.
“I can?t really say much,” he said.
“I have a meeting with my lawyer so everything goes down smoothly.”
A woman who answered the phone at Sapp?s Owings Mills home declined to comment.
A trial date has been scheduled for Feb. 8 — Sapp?s 27th birthday.
Sapp has been with the team twice during his five-year career andwas a sixth-round draft pick in 2003. He was released by the Ravens early during the 2004 season and was reacquired in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts before the 2006 season.
Sapp played in nine games this season for the Ravens (5-11), making 16 total tackles.
The former Notre Dame standout was placed on injured reserve this past Saturday ? the same day the alleged incident occurred. Sapp had been sidelined for several weeks with a thigh injury.
Maese was a teammate of Sapp?s during the 2003 season through the early portion of the 2004 season.
Maese was the team?s long snapper, but was not re-signed for the 2005 season.
Maese played for the Detroit Lions in 2005 before returning to the area as a member of the American Indoor Football Association?s Baltimore Blackbirds last year.
Maese played fullback for the now-defunct Blackbirds and was one of the team?s major marketing focal points. He quietly left the Blackbirds in the middle of the season after a disagreement with the team?s management.
