American football: Dolphins reinstate Shelby after suspension for arrest

The Miami Dolphins have reinstated defensive end Derrick Shelby after a one-game suspension following his arrest at a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, nightclub on misdemeanor charges of trespassing and resisting arrest without violence.

Shelby was kicked out of the club for groping two women and refusing to listen to an off-duty police officer's instructions to leave the club's entrance, according to the police report of the October 4 incident.

"I accept responsibility for the distraction I caused the team last week," Shelby said in a statement. "I have learned from my past actions and am fully committed to representing the Dolphins organization in a first-class manner on and off the field."

Ft. Lauderdale police said officers tasered Shelby three times to get him in handcuffs.

Shelby disputes many of the statements in the police report and said he plans to fight the charges if the state attorney's office decides to prosecute him.

"We have completed our process and have made the determination to reinstate Derrick," Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin said. "Derrick understood that he would be held accountable for his actions as they did not represent our organizational standards."

The Dolphins suspended Shelby without pay for Sunday's home game, which they lost 27-24 to the Green Bay Packers. 

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