Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers found not guilty in assault and battery trial
On Friday, New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was found not guilty in his assault and battery trial. The six-person jury, composed of five women and one man, only deliberated for an hour before unanimously coming back with the verdict, per multiple sources. Peppers was placed on the commissioner's exempt list after police responded to […]
On Friday, New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was found not guilty in his assault and battery trial. The six-person jury, composed of five women and one man, only deliberated for an hour before unanimously coming back with the verdict, per multiple sources.
Peppers was placed on the commissioner's exempt list after police responded to a disturbance at a home on Oct. 5. Peppers was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of cocaine.
Peppers was ordered to stay away from the alleged female victim, who said the safety "hit her, choked her, took off her clothing and put her outside." She also told officers that Peppers had his hand on her neck and smashed her head against the wall before pushing her down the stairs, according to police reports.
Peppers said that he asked the woman to leave multiple times and denies putting his hands on her. He claims that she “fell by herself on the stairs because she was intoxicated.”
At Peppers' pre-trial hearing, his attorney, Marc Alan Brofsky, said the victim is “demanding $10.5 million to settle this case, or else she would file a civil suit.”
The alleged victim's lawyers claimed they did not ask for "a monetary payment for our client’s pain and suffering."
The trial began on Thursday, with Peppers concluding testifying on Friday. He denied that he choked or shoved the woman. He did plead guilty to cocaine possession ahead of the domestic violence trial.
The woman testified the day prior that the safety grabbed her by the neck, slammed her against the wall and then pushed her down the stairs after another man called her phone numerous times while they were in bed.
According to the Boston Globe, Peppers said on the stand that he believed “she was trying to do all this to mess up my career,”
Peppers was signed to a contract extension this offseason, but missed seven games throughout the 2024-25 season due to his arrest and the NFL's response. He returned to the team at the beginning of December after being removed from the commissioners exempt list.
