Mike Sims-Walker: Brandon Marshall didn't throw punch

Former NFL receiver Mike Sims-Walker says he offered to take the blame for an encounter at a New York City nightclub that resulted in a chain of events over which New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall is being sued.

Sims-Walker, in a deposition read aloud Wednesday by attorneys in Marshall's civil trial for allegedly punching a woman in the face, said Marshall left the club immediately after his wife was struck by a bottle, which left her bloody and crying hysterically after her lip was torn and several teeth were knocked out.

Sims-Walker's deposition testimony was read on the same day that Christin Myles, a Chino, California woman, finished testifying about the March 2012 encounter that she said left her with permanent injuries, including an eye scar and neck and back pain. She is seeking unspecified damages from Marshall.

In his deposition, Sims-Walker said he texted to Marshall, "If I need to, I'll take the blame, I'll say I hit her," but was told by Marshall that it wouldn't be necessary.

"We have the [video] footage," Marshall told Sims-Walker, declining the offer.

Marshall, 32, who was never charged with a crime, also testified briefly Wednesday, saying fights that broke out inside the Manhattan nightclub annoyed him even before his wife was struck on the face by a bottle. He said he left the club, only to encounter Myles.

Marshall said a couple of fights broke out among a group of people next to his party of four in the VIP section of the dance club.

"Man, the girls are fighting. Can you try to keep your section over there?" Marshall recalled telling a man he thought he had befriended.

Marshall said he thought a man in the section threw a cup or a punch before Sims-Walker, his longtime friend, threw a punch, something he did not realize until he recently reviewed security videotapes.

"What I remember is a cup being thrown, and then all hell broke loose," Marshall said before testimony ended for the day.

Marshall's testimony resumes Thursday.

Sims-Walker said neither he nor Marshall punched any women that night.

Sims-Walker, who formerly played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, said he and Marshall were waiting for a car outside the club when men spilled out, looking to fight.

Sims-Walker said he pushed Myles when she charged at him. Myles had testified that she took a swing at Sims-Walker because she believed that he and Marshall were responsible for wrecking her birthday party.

"We were defending ourselves," Sims-Walker said in his deposition. "We did nothing to nobody. We were totally victims in this case. I don't understand why we're even here."

Earlier Wednesday, Myles completed her testimony, but not before Marshall's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, raised doubts about her claims that she saw tattoos on Marshall's forearm that were exposed because his blue shirt sleeves were rolled up. Steinberg has said Marshall never punched Myles.

She conceded that security video seemed to show his arms were covered by fabric seconds before she was injured. When questioned by her attorney, Joshua Moskovitz, Myles insisted that she saw tattoos on at least part of his forearm and that the sleeve moved up enough that she could.

"I have no doubt," Myles said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.