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Report: 49ers' Ray McDonald likely to avoid domestic violence charge

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Prosecutors in Santa Clara County are leaning against charging San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald with assaulting his pregnant fiancée, Tracy Kaplan of the San Jose Mercury News reports.

McDonald was arrested Aug. 31 on suspicion of domestic violence, but has continued to practice and play for the 49ers. A tentative arraignment hearing for the 30-year-old has been canceled twice by prosecutors.

The case against McDonald has been complicated by the actions of San Jose police officer Sean Pritchard, who did off-duty security work for the 49ers. An internal affairs investigation revealed that Pritchard attended a party at McDonald's house shortly before the incident, and then responded to a 911 call from the residence in uniform before any other officers had arrived.

Another complication, according to Kaplan, is that witnesses left the scene before being interviewed by police and investigators have not been able to track them down.

The District Attorney's Office declined to comment on the likely outcome of McDonald's case, but Kaplan reports that a decision is expected to be announced soon.

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