Lawyers For MMA's Conor McGregor Working On Plea Deal For Barclays Center Attack

Serious plea-bargain negotiations are underway in the criminal prosecution of MMA champ Conor McGregor, a source close to the case tells Oyxgen.com.

Lawyers for McGregor and prosecutors have been working on a plea deal and “just need to nail it all down,” the source said Thursday. The details of the potential deal are not clear.

The news comes as MMA champ Conor McGregor appeared in court Thursday in New York City to answer felony charges over his April rampage at the Barclays Center on a bus full of fellow fighters.

Janet Gleeson, a Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney, said McGregor had not been indicted, so Judge Ray Rodriguez told the parties to return July 26.

Meanwhile, plea-bargain negotiations are expected to continue.

After the proceeding, McGregor told reporters, "I regret my actions that led to today. I understand the seriousness of this matter, and I'm hopeful this can get worked out. Thank you everyone."

A spokesperson for McGregor, Karen Kessler, declined to comment. 

McGregor, 29, has been charged with misdemeanor assault and two counts of felony criminal mischief for throwing a metal hand truck through the window of the bus and punching a security guard in April, according to police and prosecutors. He was released on $50,000 bail.

The Dublin brawler traveled to Brooklyn for an April 7 UFC league fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway.

But after a press conference at the Barclays Center promoting the fight, McGregor and an entourage of more than a dozen people got into the arena and vandalized a bus filled with other fighters as it was leaving, the NYPD said.

McGregor threw a metal hand truck “through a window of the bus, causing injuries to several individuals on the bus,” Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Wilfredo Cotto said at McGregor’s April arraignment.

Cotto identified the injured men as Michael Ciaza, Ozzy Arias, Raymond Borg and Richardo Chico.

Additionally, according to the criminal complaint against McGregor, he punched a security guard, Jason Ledbedder, “several times in the head with a closed fist.”

McGregor was mad because the league decided to strip him of his lightweight championship title, according the New York Post. The winner of the upcoming fight was supposed to be awarded his title, according to MMA Junkie, but the fight was cancelled because one of the contenders was injured in McGregor’s attack.

The outburst was captured on surveillance video, and a now-deleted video posted to Instagram by UFC fighter Felice Herrig reportedly captured McGregor “running while holding a large object” – a metal police barricade – and then toppling nearby garbage cans, according to the New York Times.

The criminal complaint against McGregor charges him with assault in the third degree, criminal mischief in the second, third and fourth degrees, menacing in the second and third degrees, reckless endangerment in the second degree and attempted assault in the third degree.

Also arrested was Cian Cowley, of Dublin, who surrendered with McGregor. Like McGregor, Cowley is charged with third-degree assault, criminal mischief and other charges. His bail was set at $25,000 cash or bond. He appeared on Thursday as well.

It is unlikely that McGregor or Cowley would plead to a felony, which could bar them from traveling to the United States. Instead, a lesser plea is expected.

[Photo: JB Nicholas]