Prosecutors in Orange County have declined to pursue domestic battery charges against former NFL defensive end and sports media personality Marcellus Wiley stemming from a July 4 incident involving his estranged wife.
According to court documents, the State of Florida determined that the testimonial evidence “is not corroborated by any physical or other evidence and is therefore insufficient to obtain a conviction.” The decision, dated Aug. 10, also clears the records and releases any bond posted in connection with the case.
Wiley, 51, was arrested July 4 at the Orlando World Center Marriott after deputies responded to a call from Annemarie Wiley. She told authorities she wanted her husband removed from their shared hotel room because she was afraid of him. According to the arrest affidavit, she said Wiley told her he was going to kill her. She further stated that the previous morning he had “used one finger to sternly and intentionally poke her in the cheek,” an action she said was done without her permission and intended to cause harm.
Deputies determined there was probable cause for a misdemeanor domestic battery charge. Wiley was booked into the Orange County Jail and released the following evening after posting a $1,000 cash bond. A no-contact order was issued.
Wiley has consistently denied the allegations. In a July 6 post on X, he wrote that he “completely and unequivocally” denied the claims and said he was certain the truth would prevail. After news of the case dismissal emerged Monday, Wiley posted a lengthy statement on the platform celebrating the outcome and criticizing the allegations.
“The illusion is OVER,” he wrote. “No more BS. No more deception. Just FACTS & EVIDENCE. The State of Florida declined to file charges & Dismissed the Case! ‘Testimonial Evidence Received is Not Corroborated by any Physical or Other Evidence.’ – State of Florida. READ THAT AGAIN.”
He further questioned the credibility of the claims, referenced statements from their daughter, and said false allegations also create victims. Wiley added that he would continue to defend his name and character publicly with what he described as the truth.
Annemarie Wiley, a former cast member on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” filed for divorce shortly after the arrest. In court filings she alleged a pattern of physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse during their relationship and sought custody of the couple’s three children. Those civil matters remain separate from the criminal case that has now been dropped.
Wiley, a Compton native and Columbia University product, played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2001. After retiring, he built a long career in sports broadcasting, including stints at ESPN and Fox Sports, and has hosted his own podcast and radio shows.
The domestic battery case is one of several legal matters involving Wiley in recent years. He has faced civil lawsuits containing sexual assault allegations from multiple women, which he has denied. Those cases are ongoing and unrelated to the Florida domestic battery matter that prosecutors have now declined to pursue.
