ATTLEBORO - A day after weapons and assault charges were dismissed against him last week in a domestic dispute, former New England Patriots football player Willie T. Andrews married the alleged victim in the incident.

Andrews, 25, who is now an NFL free agent, married Krystal Myers, 23, last Friday in Mansfield before a justice of the peace, according to a copy of their marriage license.

Prosecutors were forced to dismiss their case against Andrews after Myers invoked her rights against compelled self-incrimination during a hearing last Thursday in Attleboro District Court.

After asking the judge to dismiss the case, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lennon told the court that prosecutors would bring the case to a grand jury in superior court.

In superior court, prosecutors could ask a judge to grant a witness immunity from prosecution. Lennon told the court last week that the prosecution promised Myers, who was not cooperating with the district attorney's office, not to file charges against her. But Lennon conceded the promises were not ironclad.

If prosecutors proceed with the case against Andrews in superior court, Myers could then invoke her marital privileges. Spouses cannot be forced to testify against each other.

When asked Tuesday whether she thought the marriage was a tactic for Andrews to avoid prosecution, Lennon declined comment.

Lawyers for Myers, of Waco, Texas, and Andrews, of Cedar Heights apartments at 10 Connors Ave. in Mansfield, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Andrews has an unpublished telephone number.

In a similar case, Lennon last year successfully prosecuted a Norwood man who married his North Attleboro girlfriend and mother of his child soon after police initiated an investigation into a domestic assault involving the couple.

However, in that case the couple was not engaged before the assault and she told others that by marrying the defendant she could avoid having to testify against him, according to court records.

The man was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail, and is appealing.

Andrews and Myers were engaged, have a child together and had been together for three years before he allegedly placed a gun near her head at his apartment after she accused him of cheating on her.

Andrews, a defensive back, lost his job with the Patriots after the June 30 incident.