TUSCALOOSA | The City of Tuscaloosa’s legal department issued a statement Monday regarding the arrest of University of Alabama defensive back Rashad Johnson.

Tuscaloosa Police officers charged Johnson with charged with disorderly conduct after a late-night skirmish with security guards at The Legacy bar on the Strip on Feb. 23. His attorney said Friday that city prosecutors offered him a plea deal that would dismiss all charges.

The Office of the City Attorney disputed that.

“The city did not initiate any discussion of settlement of the charges against Mr. Johnson,” according to the statement.

The statement noted that people charged with crimes are innocent until proven guilty and said that the Alabama State Bar Rules of Professional Conduct prohibit any further comment on the case.

According to the police department’s account, the 22-year-old team co-captain pushed a security guard who was escorting another person outside the bar at 2:55 a.m. on Feb. 23. The security guard allegedly fell out the front door and onto the ground.

Johnson’s attorney, Josh Swords, claims there were discrepancies between the video from security cameras, witness accounts and the police reports that didn’t match.

“The Office of the City Attorney has reviewed the reports, statements of witnesses and viewed the video from the security cameras and is prepared to proceed to trial. We expect this case to be set on the Municipal Court docket in the near future.”

Swords had yet to see the release when he was contacted by The Tuscaloosa News on Monday evening.

“I’m still talking with the city, seeing if there’s some way we can work this out,” Swords said. “It’s probably best with Rashad if we make no further comment at this time until I talk with him.”

Reach Stephanie Taylor at 205-722-0210 or stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com.