Domestic violence case against US soccer star dismissed

The domestic violence case against Hope Solo, a goalkeeper for the US women's soccer team, was dismissed by a Seattle-area judge on Tuesday, local broadcaster King 5 reported.

Solo, 33, who has played on two Olympic gold medal-winning teams, had pleaded not guilty to striking her sister and nephew during a dispute in June at her home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland. She had been slated to stand trial next week.

Solo's attorney, Todd Maybrown, filed a motion to dismiss the case after arguing that the sister and nephew had been uncooperative during a pre-trial hearing, including failing to show up for a deposition, KING 5 said.

Maybrown has argued that Solo was the victim in the altercation and that she was hit over the head with a broom handle by a family member. Prosecutors said the victims had cooperated, the broadcaster reported.

Domestic abuse cases have garnered national attention since the National Football League's handling of the Ray Rice case, in which Commissioner Roger Goodell initially suspended the former Baltimore Ravens running back for two games last year for knocking out his fiancee, who later became his wife.

Goodell later suspended Rice indefinitely when surveillance video was released by website TMZ showing the punch.

Image: Hope Solo of the United States

Photograph: Jen Fuller/Getty Images