Larry Johnson says he didn't strangle woman in Vegas

Former NFL running back Larry Johnson has had his share of run-ins with the law, and he was caught up again Friday after being arrested in Las Vegas on a charge of domestic violence-strangulation.

Johnson knows what the public's perception will be, but he insists he's innocent in this case.

"I know people will try to pass judgement on me from my previous record, but I didn't do what I am being charged with," Johnson told TMZ.com on Saturday.

As you can imagine, there are two very different stories being told here.

The alleged victim, a woman claiming to be Johnson's ex-girlfriend (he says she's an old acquaintance), told police that Johnson choked her into unconsciousness and left her in the her underwear in the hallway of the Bellagio. According to the police report obtained by TMZ, the woman said she and Johnson went back to his room after a night of partying, when Johnson became enraged after they started talking about his daughter. The woman claims that's when Johnson began to "beat her and throw her around the room" before strangling her.

Johnson's version of events paints a different picture.

Johnson told TMZ that the woman wouldn't leave his hotel room, and when he tried to remove her she kicked and slapped him. He claims that when he got her outside the room, she tried to kick down the door -- which he feels should be seen on hotel security cameras, meaning that she could've never been close to unconscious.

Again, two very different stories.

As for Johnson's history, in 2003 he was charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor domestic battery but had the charges dropped after agreeing to enter a rehab program. In 2005, he was charged with assault again, but again it was dropped when the woman didn't appear in court. He was arrested twice in 2008 -- once after a woman accused him of shoving her and once after a woman accused him of spitting in her face -- and in both instances pleaded guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace as part of a plea deal.

Obviously, Johnson will get his due process. He's just hoping in the meantime that everyone reserves judgment despite his past, though that's sure hard for people to do these days.

(Thanks to ProFootballTalk for bringing this story to our attention.)