Ex-WNBA star enters not guilty plea for strangling former partner
Former WNBA point guard Shoni Schimmel is facing 15 years in prison after being arrested on Friday and charged with assault by strangulation of an intimate dating partner and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury.
The Oregonian reported news of the development, which relates to an incident that allegedly occurred on June 13 last year on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in the northeastern reaches of Oregon state.
Schimmel was initially arrested on June 14, 2021 before being held at the Umatilla Couty jail on felony assault and criminal mischief charges prior to being released on a $48,750 bail.
On Friday, the former first-round pick for the Atlanta Dream in 2014 was arrested by federal authorities and then pleaded not guilty to her charges in federal court.
Facing up to 15 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and three years' supervised release, Schimmel has been released again ahead of a two-day jury trial in June at the conclusion of a case investigated by the Umatilla Tribal Police Department and the FBI.
Schimmel grew up on the Umatilla Reservation and starred in a 2011 documentary named "Off the Rez" that chronicled life with her family amid a blossoming basketball career.
After initially starting strong with the Dream, where she was a two-time All Star, the eighth overall pick in the 2014 draft was traded to the New York Liberty in 2016 and missed the whole 2017 season for personal reasons.
The 2014 All Star Game MVP was given another chance by the Las Vegas Aces in 2018 but failed to impress in just two games with the franchise.
Former University of Louisville alumnus Schimmel has not been seen on a professional court after being waived by the Aces in May 2018, with fans lamenting her legal troubles last year.
"I’m sad to hear the news about Shoni Schimmel’s arrest," said one on Twitter at the time of her original arrest. "She was one of my favorite players when I started watching WNBA games.
"This is so damn sad," added another. "She had such a bright future. Hope she can bounce back."
