Dolphins' Porter Accused Of Punching Bengals' Jones At Casino

Monday, March 19th 2007, 3:42 pm

By: News On 6

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter was accused of punching Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Levi Jones after police said the players exchanged trash talk at a casino blackjack table.

Porter was issued a summons on a misdemeanor battery charge after the Sunday altercation that began inside the Palms hotel-casino, Las Vegas police Officer Martin Wright said.

"They went outside. In the valet area, one struck the other, causing a small laceration above the eye," Wright said Monday, calling the injury minor.

Porter could face up to a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine, Wright said, but no court date was immediately available.

Porter, 6â€™3 and 250 pounds, left the Pittsburgh Steelers after eight years and signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Dolphins earlier this month. Jones, 6â€™5 and 307 pounds, missed much of last season with a knee injury.

"It seems they go against each other on the field, and here they take it into the public," Wright said.

Wright cited an initial report from a Las Vegas police lieutenant who said the two players had a history of on-field trash talking with each other. The Steelers and Bengals both are in the AFC North, and play each other twice each season.

Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said Porter, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, told him about the incident Monday morning.

"We will monitor the situation and refrain from making any further comment until we gather more information," Cameron said in a statement issued by the Dolphins.

Wright said a written police investigation and report won't be complete until at least the end of the week.

The Bengals didn't have much to say about the latest incident involving one of their players. Over a nine-month period, nine Bengals have been arrested.

"We have determined that he did not sustain any serious injuries," team spokesman Jack Brennan said of Jones. "Other than that, it's just not something that warrants any comment."