The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office has revealed where things stand on potential criminal charges against Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua over biting allegations.
The update does not fully close the matter, but it does make one thing clear about the current criminal track. Prosecutors are not filing charges against Nacua at this stage.
That distinction matters because the case remains active in a limited way, while a separate civil lawsuit tied to the same alleged New Year's Eve incident continues.
Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images
As the New York Post reported, Deputy Director of Communications Ivor B. Pine said the matter has been assigned to a City Attorney Hearing rather than moving straight into misdemeanor prosecution.
"This matter has been assigned for a City Attorney Hearing, a pre-filing diversion available to eligible individuals that is an alternative to misdemeanor criminal prosecution," Pine said.
"Charges are not filed against the respondent at this time; however, the case stays open throughout the length of the statute of limitations. It can be re-evaluated if there are further developments," he added.
That means Nacua is not facing filed criminal charges right now. It also means the case has not completely disappeared from the city attorney's view.
A City Attorney Hearing is an informal alternative to misdemeanor prosecution. It can allow eligible cases to be handled before charges are filed, while still leaving room for re-evaluation if new developments emerge.
The allegations stem from a New Year's Eve outing involving Madison Atiabi, who later filed a civil lawsuit against Nacua.
Atiabi alleged that Nacua made an antisemitic remark at dinner and later bit her on the shoulder while the group was traveling in a Sprinter van. Nacua's attorney has denied the antisemitic remark allegation.
His legal team has acknowledged a bite occurred, but has described it as horseplay rather than an assault. They have also pushed back strongly against the broader lawsuit.
The civil case remains separate from the city attorney's decision. That means the lack of filed criminal charges does not end Atiabi's lawsuit or the claims being made there.
For Nacua, the update is significant because it lowers the immediate criminal jeopardy around the incident. But it is not a full legal clean slate.
The city attorney's office can revisit the matter during the statute of limitations, and the civil case remains an ongoing issue away from the football field.
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