Saleeha Soofi

A woman who initially reported being punched and shoved by a 6-foot-10, 240-pound former University of Kansas basketball player has now officially been found guilty of battering him instead.

Saleeha Soofi, 19, was back in court last week for the latest change in a case that opened late last year.

In December 2016, within hours of police being called about an altercation during a party at a KU fraternity house, Carlton Bragg Jr. was arrested and charged with one count of battery, a misdemeanor, against Soofi. But within the next couple days, Bragg’s charges were dropped and Soofi was arrested and charged with battery instead. It was initially reported that Bragg punched and pushed Soofi (the two had been dating, and the argument involved her accusing him of cheating), but the DA said in explaining the turnabout that surveillance video showed she actually was the aggressor.

In June, a judge granted Soofi diversion, with orders that included abstaining from using alcohol and recreational drugs. But later in the summer, prosecutors said in court documents, Soofi violated her diversion when she was charged in Overland Park with DUI, possessing a controlled substance and refusing a preliminary breath test.

Last week Soofi pleaded guilty to the original battery charge in Douglas County District Court. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail but granted six months probation, according to Jill Spurling, trial assistant with the DA’s office. So she won’t actually have to spend a month in jail, although if she were to not meet the terms of her probation the situation could always change again.

Saleeha Soofi

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Carlton Bragg Jr. (15) vies for a loose ball with Iowa State guard Monte Morris, front, and Iowa State guard Nazareth Mitrou-Long during the first half, Monday, Jan. 16, 2017 at Hilton Coliseum.

Bragg, who also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia last season in an unrelated case, is no longer at KU. He transferred this summer and is now at Arizona State University, as a redshirt sophomore.

— I’m the Journal-World’s public safety reporter. Reach me by email at sshepherd@ljworld.com or by phone at 785-832-7187. I’m also on Twitter, @saramarieshep.