Vikings Cornerback Chris Cook Found Not Guilty on All Counts in Domestic Assault Trial

A jury has found Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook not guilty on all charges in the domestic assault trial this week. News of the jury's findings comes one day after the jury began deliberations.

Jurors began with 2 1/2 hours of deliberation on Wednesday, and resumed Thursday morning. Cook didn't complete his second year with the Vikings after word of an alleged altercation between he and his girlfriend at the time, which brought felony charges of domestic assault by strangulation and third-degree assault in the incident.

With news of being cleared of the charges, which could have meant jail time for the defensive back, Cook says he has a lot of catching up to do. He told reporters the following after getting the verdict:

I'm going to get ready. I got a job to do. I missed 10 games. I got to make up for those.

The Vikings released a statement responding to the verdict, saying Cook will be welcomed back to the team:

We respect the legal process and the decision regarding Chris Cook. We have also thoroughly considered Chris' situation and how he has approached this matter. We will meet with Chris in the near future and believe he deserves the opportunity to rejoin our organization.

There is still a small chance Cook may face action from the NFL. This, however is unlikely after being cleared of the charges. League spokesperson Greg Aiello said the following about that possibility: