MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU football great Noel Devine pleaded not guilty Wednesday afternoon in Monongalia County Circuit Court to four criminal charges stemming from an alleged domestic incident with his live-in girlfriend.
Devine, 38, pleaded not guilty to charges of felony strangulation as well as misdemeanor charges involving domestic battery, unlawful restraint, and stalking for the incident that allegedly occurred outside a Morgantown sports bar not long after WVU defeated UT Martin on Sept. 12.
Monongalia County prosecutors took the case directly to a grand jury that indicted Devine less than a week after he was charged.
Devine, who has been free on $40,000 bond, appeared before Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge Cindy Scott Wednesday with his attorney Dave Jecklin.
Scott scheduled Devine’s trial for Nov. 10. There’s a pretrial hearing set for Nov. 2.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office, Devine allegedly asked the victim to come out to the parking lot of Kegler’s and when she didn’t respond fast enough he went inside to get her.
Investigators said surveillance shows the two leaving the bar and walking to Devine’s vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, video shows Devine pushing the victim against the car, opening the back door and pushing her in.
The victim said Devine then allegedly jumped on top of her choking her and slapping her face, prompting the need for medical treatment.
Devine, who had been serving as an assistant running backs coach for the Mountaineers is currently on leave from the football program. WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez announced shortly after learning of Devine’s arrest.