The story is shocking, ugly and sad.
Dez Bryant's mom said her son tried to kill her.His people say things are being blown out of proportion.Clearly the truth lies somewhere in between.And as always with the Dallas Cowboys' receiver -- who has been embroiled in yearly controversies since being drafted in 2010 after a star-crossed turn at Oklahoma State -- it's not that simple.He is 23 and his mom, Angela Bryant, is 37.She has been arrested on multiple occasions, including spending 18 months in the state pen after being convicted of selling crack cocaine.This is his first arrest.There is no doubt he had a challenging upbringing in Lufkin and hasn't been armed with an assortment of life skills outside of outstanding athletic ability.Still, these allegations are quite damning and hard to dismiss as a one-time thing.It matters not how the disagreement between Bryant and his mom started; the fact, according to the police report, is that he is accused of misdemeanor family assault after allegedly grabbing his mom so hard that her bra ripped.She said he slapped her across the face with his baseball hat and pulled her hair. She said he repeatedly struck her on the hands and wrist. Officers observed swelling on her wrists and bruising on her right arm and upper left arm.On the 911 tape, she said he attempted to hit her with a ball. The tape adds further background to the story as clearly this wasn't the first run-in Bryant has had with his mother."I'm going to put an end to it today," Angela Bryant is heard saying on the tape. "I'm tired of it."No matter what you think of Bryant's mother, there is never a reason to strike a woman -- and that goes triple for your mother. Walking away is always the best option.There is no excusing domestic violence of any kind. It is a very serious issue in Texas, and here in Tarrant County in particular.Consider:Tarrant County had 26 domestic violence-related deaths in 2011.SafeHaven, which provides a variety of services to domestic-abuse victims, aided more than 6,600 victims and their children in 2011.Experts say reports of domestic violence represent only 19 percent of actual incidents.So, Angela Bryant alleges that she finally got fed up and called the police.Being that this is Dez Bryant's first offense, he probably won't do any jail time -- even if he did what she alleges. Fines, counseling and anger management are the usual course for a misdemeanor charge.What's also true is that witnesses, especially family, have a tendency to change their stories when it's time to go to court. That goes double when the alleged assailant is a multimillion dollar breadwinner of a previously impoverished family.Time heals and, surely, the anger of Saturday and Monday will soon subside.Angela loves her son and he loves her, which is why he moved her here from Lufkin in the first place.In the end, this incident probably won't interrupt his participation in Cowboys training camp, which begins for him July 29, let alone the 2012 season.But the question remains: When are the Cowboys going to get tired of the controversies and distractions and put an end to it?Bryant is already drawing scrutiny from the NFL."We are aware of it and it will be reviewed as appropriate," league spokesman Michael Signora said.He also pointed out that Bryant can be disciplined without a conviction per the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, which reads, "Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."Commissioner and chief disciplinarian Roger Goodell has set a precedent of doing so with former Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.The question is, will Cowboys owner Jerry Jones do anything?After releasing a statement through spokesman Rich Dalrymple on Monday that the Cowboys were reviewing the facts of the case, the team was quiet Tuesday.While this was Bryant's first arrest, this was not his first incident since joining the Cowboys. Bryant has been the subject of multiple lawsuits, had an incident at the NorthPark Center last year and was detained in Miami after a scuffle with rapper Lil Wayne's entourage in January, plus he has a history of being late to team meetings and having sideline outbursts.It all shows a pattern of immaturity, irresponsibility and emotional instability. He needs help, and always has.The misdemeanor family violence charge indicates that the issues that have been around Bryant since his childhood could be escalating.Cowboys fans, many of whom likely are frustrated that he has yet to explode on the field, have spoken on Twitter, Facebook and comments to the newspaper that enough is enough. They want Bryant gone.The ball is now in the hands of the owner, who also serves as general manager.Jones knew what he was getting when he drafted Bryant in 2010. It's the reason he fell to the Cowboys with the 24th overall pick and why so many others passed on him despite his top-10 talent.Jones knew there would be a growing process on and off the field.The risk has yet to pay off in terms of consistent production.With three years remaining on Bryant's contract, is Jones -- like Angela Bryant -- finally tired, fed up and "ready to put an end to it today?"Or does he continue to play hot potato with Dez, who also appears to be a ticking time bomb?The trouble for Jones is that Bryant could be on the brink of a breakout season after an injury-free off-season for the first time.Sadly, we can no longer say it was controversy-free for the first time, and that's a pattern Jones might not be able to ignore.Clarence E. Hill Jr.817-390-7760Twitter: @clarencehilljrAudio: Listen to the 911 call from Dez Bryant's mom
Is it time for the Cowboys to cut their ties with Dez Bryant?
In emotional 911 call, mom says Dez Bryant 'tried to kill me'
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