Kinville sentenced to two years probation
Michael Kinville, 23, was arrested on charges of assault by strangulation and domestic violence on May 30.
A former Central Michigan University football player accused of strangling his girlfriend on May 30 inside a Deerfield Village apartment will serve two years of probation.
Michael Kinville, who ended his football career at CMU in 2014, was sentenced today on charges of aggravated domestic violence and domestic violence. He will serve one year of reporting probation. If he doesn't violate his probation, his second year will be non-reporting.
Kinville was originally charged with assault by strangulation along with domestic violence, but accepted a plea deal to avoid trial.
Before he was officially sentenced, Kinville said he attended substance abuse counseling once, and it was decided he did not have a problem with alcohol abuse. On the night of his arrest, his blood alcohol level was .22. Judge Mark Duthie said a stipulation of Kinville's probation would be regular substance abuse testing, along with no drinking or being inside a business that serves alcohol.
Kinville gave a statement to the court, apologizing to the football program and his victim, senior Joslyn Seger.
"I realize my actions lead us here today," he said. "I seek to become an outstanding citizen in the future. I want to apologize to Joslyn; I never intended for this to happen."
Daniel O'Neil, Kinville's attorney, said only Kinville and Seger know what happened the night of Kinville's arrest, because they were the only people inside the apartment.
"(Kinville) has been very remorseful since the beginning," he said. "He knows if he had not drank that much, he would have been able to turn the situation in a different direction."
Kinville will also receive anger management counseling throughout his probation. He is to have no contact with Seger, who issued a victim impact statement to the court, which said she would rather not see Kinville have felony charges. She said she just wanted to see him held accountable.
Robert Holmes, Isabella County Prosector, reminded the court of the original strangulation charge, and said alcohol played a huge part in what happened. On the night of Kinville's arrest, Seger allegedly slapped Kinville's face, which Holmes said was not justifiable. Her anger, however, was understandable.
"Miss. Seger reacted just as anyone would," he said. "Was she angry? Yes, justifiably so. But she was leaving the situation when he grabbed her by the throat."
