(CW: Abuse and physical violence)
Jonah Keri is not a good person.
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Keri, a well-known MLB analyst and writer, pleaded guilty on August 30, 2021 to several criminal charges. He bit his ex-wife, headbutted her, broke her nose and held a kitchen knife, while threatening to kill their unborn child.
Keri also admitted that he threatened to kill his father and brother if he ever revealed his violent abuse to anyone. He also threatened to crash the car they were riding in on two occasions. Deadspin was told by a source familiar with the matter that Keri killed his ex-wife in their home. Keri was attacked by her family dog and she was only able to call police.
Research has shown that victims who are strangled to death are seven times more likely than those who abuse them.
Keri will be sentenced on November 30. He is seeking to avoid imprisonment and the prosecution asking him for two years in prison, according to Deadspin. Deadspin has been informed by a source who knows the criminal case. Keri has not had contact with his ex-wife nor his child since his arrest two year ago.
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It seems that everyone has a Jonah Keri story...
The shock and disbelief expressed by the MLB community when Keri was arrested for the first time. Keri, who is the author of a book about the Montreal Expos and worked for sites such as DraftKings and Sportsnet, was often a guest on TVs and radio stations across the country. Keris male colleagues expressed their shock at his abuse behavior by appearing friendly and kind in media appearances. Keris male colleagues were less shocked than the women he had contact with.
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He was beating his wife. But, we all knew that he was a creep with an ego as big as a planet. Deadspin was told by a woman in MLB.
Many women working in sports media have been privately exchanging notes since Keris' July 2019 arrest. Several told Deadspin that Keri made their lives difficult and used situations where he was by himself to make them feel comfortable. Deadspin was told by more than one woman that Keri bragged about how many women he wanted to have sex with and became sexually suggestive, and even aggressive with them.
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One woman stated that it was bizarre and gross, but also delusional.
Everybody has a Jonah Keri story. Deadspin was told by another woman in sports media after she recounted two instances in which Keri behaved in an inappropriate way with her. Keri, who was still married to his first woman, had Keri follow her out of a party asking her to kiss him. Keri also showed up at Keri's hotel, when they were briefly in the same place. Keri was just starting her career and the woman she met said that Keri saw her weakness and grabbed his hand. I vaguely recall him telling me that he would help me connect with big wigs in NYC while I was still trying out my next career move. He said that he would tell them all about me.
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The friendship was ended when Keri sent unsolicited dick photos to the woman, then blocked her Twitter account when she ignored them. These are both obvious habits of his that Deadspin had heard from two women.
Jeffrey Boro, Keris' lawyer, stated to the Montreal court that Keri was suffering from mental health issues and had spent three weeks in a residential psychiatric unit following his arrest. Deadspsin could not find any reports that Keri threatened or became physically violent with someone other than his wife after an investigation.
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Deadspin was told by a source close to the prosecution that there are no reports of road violence or bar fights. According to the source, there were several instances of violent abuse against Keri's ex-partner, both uncharged and charged. These incidents occurred just moments before Keri appeared on a CBS TV show. Keri seemed calm, collected and even jovial.
Keris attorney will undoubtedly try to portray Keri as a sympathetic abuser but his Jekyll and Hyde moods match those of traditional abusers. The National Domestic Violence Hotline website addresses the issue directly.
The Hotline often hears that abuse is due to a partner's mental health condition. This could include bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety, as well as borderline personality, narcissistic personality, antisocial personality, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These are all serious mental conditions that can lead to abuse. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) does not state that a mental disorder can cause an abusive partner in a relationship. However, there are a few diagnoses that can increase the likelihood of abusive patterns in a relationship and other areas of your life. Mental illness can have a major impact on all aspects of a person's life. This includes their work, relationships with family and friends, as well as personal relationships. However, abuse is more detrimental to personal relationships than the rest of your life.
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Keri's ability to fool so many people in the industry for so many years is not a sign that he was suffering from mental illness. This is evidence that he was not as gifted or brilliant as he wanted everyone to believe.
Keris attorney was not available for comment.
We spoke with no women who were willing to talk on record about Keri. They were afraid that despite his progress, Keri might still cause them harm or worse. The industry's continued silence on Keri, which according to women who spoke with them, was aware of disturbing stories about Keri has not made sports media feel safer. It is actually quite amazing that Keri managed to land more high-profile gigs, despite the many anecdotes about him.
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MLB and the media covering it are having a #MeToo moment thanks to Katie Strang's reporting and Britt Ghiroli's at The Athletic. It is past time for MLB media and its Jonah Keri problem. In the days that followed Keris' arrest, a woman said to me that she was waiting to hear if men from my workplace will confront him online or through their media outlets. So far, nothing.
It's still true, two years after Keris was arrested.
Women Aware/Femmes Averties can help you donate to Women Aware/Femmes Averties if you would like to assist victims of domestic abuse in Montreal, where Jonah Keri will serve his sentence.
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For intimate partner violence call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233), or text SAFE at the same number.
