Former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin is facing multiple charges following an incident that took place in Southern California last month.
According to TMZ, the Los Angeles County District attorney has hit Martin with a total of five charges stemming from a Feb. 23 incident where he posted a threatening picture to Instagram. Martin is facing four counts of making criminal threats, along with one count of possessing a loaded firearm.
The loaded firearm charge was tacked on because police found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun in Martin's car when he was detained back in February. Authorities also found a large knife, an ax and a cell phone, according to the court documents obtained by TMZ. Martin was detained by police less than 24 hours after he shared a disturbing photo on Instagram.
The picture included the names of two of his former Dolphins teammates -- Mike Pouncey and Richie Incognito -- along with the names of two of his former high school classmates. Martin also specifically named his former high school (Harvard-Westlake School) and the Dolphins in the photo.
The picture also included the caption, "When you're a bully victim & a coward, your options are suicide, or revenge."
Former Dolphins OL Jonathan Martin with some seriously disturbing stuff on his IG story... pic.twitter.com/NaJ8a0BXze
— Nick Brown (@NickyBeaster) February 23, 2018
After seeing the picture, officials at Harvard-Westlake decided to cancel school on Feb. 23.
Police were able to locate Martin after someone made an emergency call about a "suicidal male with a gun" and he was placed in a 72-hour psychiatric hold after he was detained. According to court documents, Martin's girlfriend said that had been making suicidal statements in the month leading up to his Instagram post. Martin had also been sending disturbing messages to two of his former high school classmates -- James Dunleavy and T.J. Taylor -- who were both named in Martin's Instagram photo.
Martin's threatening Instagram post was released nearly four years to the day that the NFL's investigation on the Dolphins' bullying case was released. The Dolphins fired multiple people after the league released its report on Feb. 14, 2014.
In the report, the league found that Incognito and Pouncey "engaged in a pattern of harassment directed" at Martin. Incognito was suspended for the final eight games of the 2013 season and didn't play in the NFL at all in 2014. As for Martin, he was traded to the 49ers in March 2014 and was out of the NFL completely by 2015.
In the bullying report, investigator Ted Wells wrote that Martin contemplated suicide on at least two occasions, in January and May of 2013. The now-retired offensive lineman has been battling depression and confirmed in 2015 that he attempted suicide while playing for the Dolphins. In a May 2016 interview, Martin said there would never be any reconciliation with Incognito.
"I have no desire to ever see or talk to him," Martin told USA Today at the time. "That's in the past. I don't know what his thoughts are and I don't really care, honestly."
The NFL's report noted that Martin had been dealing with low self-esteem and depression due to bullying that he suffered in both middle school and high school.
