RB O’Maury Samuels charged with domestic violence, kicked off Michigan football team

O’Maury Samuels, who appeared in 15th District Court on Wednesday on one charge of domestic violence and one charge of malicious destruction of property, has been dismissed from the Michigan football team.

The offense was committed Dec. 8. Samuels attended the hearing Wednesday at 15th District Court in Ann Arbor, according to a court spokesperson. Samuels was a sophomore running back at Michigan.

“O’Maury Samuels has been dismissed from the Michigan Football program,” Michigan football spokesperson Dave Ablauf said in a statement sent Wednesday.

Melissa Overton, University of Michigan deputy chief of police, confirmed Wednesday the report was filed last Saturday and that Samuels’ case remains open.

This is not the first time Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has dismissed a player charged with domestic violence. Nate Johnson, a former Michigan defensive back, was kicked off the team in October 2017, after his arrest for hitting a woman. He later pleaded guilty to one count of domestic violence and battery.

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Harbaugh has made clear he has a zero tolerance for domestic violence.

While he coached the San Francisco 49ers he laid out his response on the subject to reporters.

“If someone physically abuses a woman and or physically or mentally abuses or hurts a child, there’s no understanding, there’s no tolerance for that,” he said in 2014.

Harbaugh had Brenda Tracy speak to the UM team in August, a day before fall camp opened. Tracy is a gang rape survivor and activist who travels around the country speaking to student-athletes about domestic violence. Tracy was an honorary captain for Michigan’s game against Western Michigan this season.

Samuels is from Los Lunas, New Mexico. He appeared in six games this season and gained 66 yards on 13 carries.

In 2017 he was in nine games and had 13 rushing yards on eight carries.

Samuels (5-10, 192) was rated a four-star prospect coming out of high school and the No. 21 running back in the nation by 247Sports.