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Lance Stephenson Charged With Felony Assault

By Ben Fractenberg | August 16, 2010 7:09am | Updated on August 16, 2010 7:25am
Former Brooklyn high school basketball star Lance Stephenson was arrested for pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs on Sunday, August 15, 2010.
Former Brooklyn high school basketball star Lance Stephenson was arrested for pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs on Sunday, August 15, 2010.
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Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

By Ben Fractenberg

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Lance Stephenson would prefer to have his face splashed across the back page of the newspaper rather than the front.

The New York basketball phenom was busted on Sunday for allegedly pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs. On Monday it was revealed that he also "slammed" her head on the bottom step, according to the Kings County District Attorney's office.

Stephenson, 19, reportedly got into a heated argument with his girlfriend and mother of his child, Jasmine Williams, 21, around 5 a.m. Sunday morning in front of his home on Avenue Z in Brooklyn.

Williams told police she hit her head after Stephenson pushed her down the stairs in front of his home, the New York Post reported.

But according to the criminal complaint, it wasn't the fall that caused Williams' head injury.

"While (Williams) was laying at the bottom of said stairs the defendant picked up informant's head and slammed informant's head on the bottom step," the complaint said.

Williams was treated at Coney Island Hospital and is now wearing a neck brace and experiencing excruciating pain, according to the complaint.

Stephenson was charged with felony assault and menacing and criminal possession of a weapon — the weapon being the step. He is due back in court Oct. 19.

Stephenson was a star player at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn. He played college ball at the University of Cincinnati for one year before being picked 40th overall in the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers.

Stephenson was considered a first-round NBA talent but his stock dropped because of character concerns. The Coney Island native was accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl inside Lincoln High School in 2008.

Stephenson, who is scheduled to make $900,000 this season, appeared to have his life on track and had a good showing while playing for the Pacers summer league team in Las Vegas in July.