Patriots Julian Edelman Pleads Not Guilty to Groping at Halloween Party

New England Patriots wide receiver and special teams return man Julian Edelman pleaded not guilty at Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday to charges of indecent assault and battery in groping a woman at a Halloween party in a Back Bay night club called Storyville.

Edelman, 25, allegedly reached under the women's costume and grabbed her between her legs. A male witness told the police he saw the woman's facial expression turn into shock when the alleged assault occurred.

After the woman told police about the incident, Edelman was soon taken into custody. Now, the receiver is out on bail, set free on personal recognizance according to the Boston Herald. He was also ordered to stay away from the club and the alleged victim and a man who was with her and witnessed the groping.

The Boston Globe reported that the man with the woman accused Edelman and confronted [him] on the dance floor and 'threatened to beat him up' while the woman tried to calm him down. The Storyville club staff then removed the man and the woman from the club.

Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney's office, said that the alleged assault was reported shortly after 1:30 a.m. at the Storyville nightclub in Boston, according to reports.

The Herald also reported that later, during a conference call with the media, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked if what took place might impact Edelman's standing with the team.

I don't think we have enough information to comment on that right now, Belicheck said.

Edelman did not say anything during his court appearance, which lasted just a couple of minutes. He and his attorney, Amy McNamee, walked through a crowd of reporters outside the courtroom without addressing them. He is due back in court on Jan. 10.

Edelman, a seventh-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2009 out of Kent State and in his third season, has just three catches for 25 yards this season. In his career, he has 47 catches for 470 yards and a touchdown as a receiver and 944 total return yards as a special teamer.