BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU defensive lineman Davon Godchaux was reinstated to the team by interim coach Ed Orgeron after it was announced that he will not face charges stemming from his arrest early Monday morning.
East Baton Rouge district attorney Hillar Moore III announced his decision Tuesday after follow-up interviews by EBR sheriff's officers and a request to dismiss charges against Godchaux by the alleged victim -- who originally accused him of grabbing her hair and shoulder when she tried to leave his apartment.
"The primary basis for this change of booking was the inconsistent statements of [the woman], the statements of Mr. Godchaux and the physical evidence at the scene, and not her request to dismiss these charges," Moore said in an official statement.
Orgeron suspended Godchaux indefinitely following the arrest.
Godchaux and the woman, the mother of his 10-month-old child, were both initially cited on misdemeanor charges of domestic abuse/child endangerment. Godchaux faced an additional change of false imprisonment.
According to the original incident report, Godchaux repeatedly told investigators that he never attempted to prevent her from leaving his apartment with their child as she claimed. He told them that he asked her to leave, but she refused to do so.
Both Godchaux and the woman showed signs of having been in a physical altercation, according to investigators.
Moore said Godchaux and the woman both cooperated fully with officers on follow-up interviews, and that a second round of questioning prompted him to dismiss the case. He added that his office has not yet determined whether it will drop charges against the woman.
"We are currently reviewing the misdemeanor charges against [her]," Moore said. "A formal charging decision has not been made."
Godchaux, a junior, is in his third year as a starter on LSU's defensive line. He has started 25 consecutive games and ranks fifth on the team with 20 tackles, plus two sacks and two fumble recoveries this season.