Ex-NFL Star Marcel Shipp, Charges Dropped In Domestic Violence Case

Ex-NFL running back Marcel Shipp just caught a huge break in his domestic violence case ... 'cause the charges were dropped after a key witness failed to show in court Monday ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Shipp -- a former Cardinals RB from 2001 to 2007 -- was facing over a year in prison after he allegedly got physical with a woman on a sidewalk in downtown Scottsdale in February.

40-year-old Shipp was hit with 3 misdemeanor charges -- including assault and disorderly conduct.

A hearing in the case was scheduled for Monday morning -- but the key witness was a no-show, prosecutors say.

Officials wouldn't specify if the witness was in fact the alleged victim -- but it seems likely.

It's not uncommon for domestic violence victims to stop cooperating with prosecutors after the initial report. Generally speaking, prosecutors often find it difficult to get a conviction without having a cooperative accuser, so when an accuser goes M.I.A., it usually means the case has sunk.

So, what does it mean for Shipp? He's off the hook for now -- but officials say the case CAN be refiled if the witness changes course and cooperates.