A player who has had a series of brushes with the law escapes one set of charges, which may help him return to the field next season.
Washington Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster, who was at the center of a controversy over domestic violence in the N. F. L., has escaped prosecution.
The state attorney’s office in Hillsborough County, Fla., dropped misdemeanor domestic violence charges against Foster. The linebacker was arrested on Nov. 24 after an incident involving his ex-girlfriend in the hotel where the San Francisco 49ers, his former team, were staying.
The 49ers did not wait for his case to play out and released Foster, a second-year player who had other brushes with the law during his short N. F. L. tenure. Three days after his arrest, the Redskins claimed Foster, 24, off waivers, reigniting a debate over whether N. F. L. teams were taking the issue of domestic violence seriously enough.
Foster is currently on the commissioner’s exempt list, which means he cannot play in games but can be paid while the league decides whether to suspend him.
