Tila Tequila's Lawyer: NFL Star Trying to "Spin" Story

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images;Chelsea Lauren/WireImage.comUs Magazine

Tila Tequila is firing back after San Diego Chargers' linebacker Shawne Merriman dismissed reports that he assaulted the MTV reality star.

On Monday, his lawyer denied claims that he "choked" Tila Tequila (real name: Tila Nguyen), 27, and tried to prevent her from leaving his San Diego-area home this past weekend. His lawyer insisted Merriman, 25, was only trying to keep an "extremely intoxicated" Tila Tequila safe.

But in a statement last Tuesday, her attorney Alan Gutman slammed the NFL star's "fantastic story."

"Shawne Merriman and his advisors have decided that the best defense is a good offense, attacking Tila Tequila in the press with a lot of calculated spin to cover up his illegal and indefensible actions," the statement began.

"Fortunately, we as a society will not tolerate a 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound all-pro NFL linebacker physically assaulting a young lady who is 4 feet, 11 inches and 93 pounds. It is never justifiable to brutally assault, choke, strike and imprison a woman.

"Once the truth is fully revealed, Mr. Merriman's fantastic story of how he was trying to keep Ms. Tequila safe will be completely discredited," the statement concluded. "No one, especially a woman, should ever have to endure what Mr. Merriman did to Tila Tequila."