New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers has pleaded guilty to one charge of cocaine possession, just ahead of his domestic violence trial set to begin on Thursday.
The 29-year-old was arrested in October 2023, hours after his birthday, following serious allegations of assault against his on-and-off girlfriend.
Peppers was arrested on the morning of October 5, 2023, after an alleged violent altercation with his girlfriend. According to a police report, the incident occurred around 4 a.m., following a phone call she received during an intimate moment that Peppers reportedly did not approve of.
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The girlfriend claimed that Peppers then demanded she leave his apartment, and during the confrontation, he allegedly choked her multiple times, pushed her head against the wall, and threw her down a set of stairs while they were still in a vulnerable position.
In addition to the domestic violence charges, Peppers was found to be in possession of cocaine at the time of his arrest. He pleaded guilty to this charge in court on Thursday, and as part of his plea, the judge has ordered him to stay drug-free for the next four months.
Despite admitting to the cocaine possession charge, Peppers still faces three other serious charges related to the alleged domestic violence incident, including strangulation and assault and battery. Jury selection for the trial began on Thursday morning after being delayed by a water-main break at the courthouse.
Peppers‘ defense and legal claims
Peppers has denied the domestic violence accusations, with his legal team asserting that they have evidence to disprove the allegations. His attorney stated that video and other evidence exist which contradict the alleged victim’s version of events, claiming that Peppers will be fully exonerated.
“We have evidence that completely contradicts the alleged victim’s story, and I expect my client to be fully exonerated,” said Peppers‘ attorney.
As a result of the arrest, Peppers was placed on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List on October 9, preventing him from participating in Patriots‘ games or practices. The team issued a brief statement acknowledging the situation but refrained from commenting further:
“We are aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend in which the police are currently investigating. We will have no further comment at this time.”
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