Broncos receiver David Kircus says he's certain he'll be cleared of an assault charge stemming from a fight that landed him in jail and sent a 26-year-old man to the hospital.
"Well, sure I'm confident. ... That's why I wanted to take that lie detector test, to show how confident I was that I wasn't in the wrong," Kircus said after practice Wednesday in his first public comments since his arrest on May 21.
Coach Mike Shanahan, who had pledged to release Kircus if it was determined he was at fault in the fight, said Tuesday that Kircus would remain on the team after passing a polygraph administered by an FBI expert last week.
Kircus said he told Shanahan he didn't throw the first punch and was acting in self-defense. He volunteered to take a lie detector test to show him he was telling the truth.
"I told him I would do whatever it takes to get the team and the coaches to believe me because it was the truth and I had nothing to hide," Kircus said. "... I said, 'You know what, if I fail this test then you can kick me off.' That's how confident I was.
"I didn't know what to expect from the test, but I knew I was going to tell the truth, so I was 100 percent confident that I was going to pass it."
Kircus faces a second-degree assault charge that carries a prison term of two to six years. He is accused of punching the man and telling him "You don't know what I'm capable of" after a party in suburban Denver on May 20. Kircus is free on $6,000 bail.
Kircus said he's guilty only of poor judgment.
"Well, my bad judgment was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I didn't break any laws by going where I was. I was out at a time at night that I shouldn't be out at that time. That's obvious. And as I'm growing up and I'm becoming an adult -- it's a slow process for some people -- it's just one of those things you learn from," Kircus said.
Kircus is a backup receiver and return specialist who joined the team last season. He had nine receptions for a team-leading 20.8 yards per catch and returned six punts for a 14.3-yard average last year.
"Another reason why I wanted to do this is I didn't want to lose reps," Kircus said. "This is a long process and it takes six months to a year. So, if there's any doubt in the coach's mind or even the players' minds, then my reps are going to go down and it's not going to look very good for me to be here.
"So, I wanted to get it out of the way right away just in their eyes that ... I want you guys to believe in me and know that I did defend myself."
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
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