Jay Mariotti To Stand Trial For Stalking, Assault Charges

Tuesday, a judge ruled former ESPN commentator Jay Mariotti will stand trial on charges he stalked, injured and assaulted his ex-girlfriend.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Windham ruled there was sufficient evidence for Mariotti to be tried on one felony count each of stalking, corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. The former Chicago Sun-Times columnist will also face two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a domestic court order.

Prosecutors say Mariotti confronted a woman at a restaurant on September 30, 2010. That same day he pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a previous run-in with her at a Santa Monica club and was ordered to serve three years probation, perform 40 hours of community service and complete a 52-week domestic violence class. In addition to those two incidents, he is accused of grabbing the same woman outside a Venice restaurant at around midnight on April 15 of this year. The prosecution claims he pulled a chunk out of her hair and grabbed her cell phone away as he shouted at her.

Mariotti pleaded not guilty to the charges on May 11, but now things have gotten serious as he will indeed head to trial. The 52-year-old is due back in court on July 12.

For those who don’t know, Mariotti lost his jobs with ESPN and AOL Fanhouse as a result of his inability to leave his ex-girlfriend alone.