PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The ex-girlfriend of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Cedrick Wilson says he encouraged her to commit suicide during events leading to her armed standoff at his home last month. Wilson denied the accusation through his lawyer.
Police withdrew charges of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment against the woman, Lindsey Paulat, on Friday. But she waived her right to a preliminary hearing and will stand trial on a new felony charge, discharging a firearm in an occupied structure.
After the hearing, Paulat said Wilson urged her to shoot herself after he left his house. She stayed in the house and later held police at bay for about 12 hours. She surrendered in the early hours of Jan. 20 and was taken to a mental health facility, authorities said.
"I had called him and said, 'You hurt me so bad you make me want to die,"' Paulat told KDKA-TV. "And he said, 'The gun is loaded, go get it and kill yourself."'
"I repeatedly called him and he kept telling me to kill myself," Paulat told the station.
Wilson did not speak with The Associated Press, but answered questions relayed by his attorney, Paul Goltz.
Goltz said Wilson didn't speak with Paulat by phone until after police got involved trying to quell the standoff. Those conversations were monitored by police, who urged Wilson to be conciliatory to end the dispute, Goltz said.
"He's a victim of her abusive behavior and it hasn't stopped to this very moment," Goltz said. "He didn't give her the gun. She knew where it was."
About the only thing both sides agree on is that Paulat fired two shots after Wilson left the house.
Paulat's attorney, Michael DeRiso, said the first shot was fired when Paulat was trying to uncock the gun. The second was fired accidentally into the ceiling after Paulat's mother came to the house to try to calm her after Wilson left, DeRiso said.
Paulat, 26, of Fawn Township, did not immediately return calls. Northern Regional Police Department Chief Robert Amman was not available for comment.
