Sportswriter Jonah Keri is re-arrested, lawyer says pocket dial to blame for breaking release condition

Sportswriter Jonah Keri poses in a stadium.

Montreal — Jonah Keri, a Montreal baseball writer and author who is facing charges of assaulting his wife, turned himself in to police Wednesday morning after a new warrant was issued for his arrest.

Keri, 45, pleaded not guilty in Quebec Court Wednesday afternoon to a charge of breaking one of his bail conditions by calling his wife last month.

But Keri's lawyer Jeffrey Boro says the call was accidental, "more than likely a pocket dial."

"As far as I know this was an accident, a bad accident and we will be making representations to that effect when we have a chance to tell our side of the story," Boro told CTV News Montreal.

Montreal police tried to arrest Keri Tuesday, but he was not home. He subsequently turned himself in to police Wednesday morning.

Keri appeared via videoconference Wednesday afternoon from Bordeaux Prison where he had been detained.

He was released on $250 bond. He must reside with his parents in Dorval, respect a 10 p.m.-7 a.m. curfew, remain 200 metres from his wife, not contact his wife and cannot possess a weapon.

Keri was arrested last summer for allegedly assaulting his wife in July 2018, May 2019, and July 2019.

He faces four charges: two counts of assault, one count of assault causing bodily harm and one count of uttering death threats.

Keri returns to court Jan. 14 to face both the original assault-related charges and the charge of breaking his conditions.

A Montreal native, Keri is best known for his 2014 history of the Montreal Expos and has written for many of North America's top sports websites and publications.

- With reporting by Rob Lurie of CTV News Montreal