Foxborough, Mass. — Jabrill Peppers, the Patriots safety and team captain, who has not played since his arrest on domestic assault charges last October, may return to the field this weekend. Peppers was cleared from the Commissioner’s Exempt list, a league decision announced Monday. He faces a scheduled jury trial on Jan. 22 after pleading not guilty to multiple charges, including domestic assault and battery and strangulation.
Peppers, who last participated in an NFL game in late September, was arrested on Oct. 5. The charges against him are severe and include assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class B substance. Following his arrest, findings of a small bag containing white powder, which Peppers admitted was cocaine, were discovered in his wallet.
The allegations, as recorded by the police, claimed that Peppers choked and pushed a woman’s head against a wall in his apartment, subsequently forcing her out. He tested positive for cocaine following the incident. However, according to Marc Brofsky, Peppers’ attorney, there exists video evidence purportedly contradicting the claims made by the alleged victim.
Brofsky has been vocal in his defense, stating previously to a reporter that the video evidence is likely to lead to Peppers’ full exoneration. The Patriots, meanwhile, might see Peppers back in action when they face the Colts in Foxborough on Sunday, following his removal from the Commissioner’s Exempt list.
This list typically allows the NFL to keep players sidelined during investigations without affecting their pay. Peppers was placed on this list shortly after his arrest but continued to receive his salary.
In relation to the case, a civil suit was initiated against Peppers last week in Norfolk Superior Court. While the alleged victim’s identity remains undisclosed in court documents, reports indicate that discussions regarding a potential settlement are underway.
Legal representation for the woman, provided by Wigdor LLP, has objected to claims by Brofsky suggesting underlying motives in the civil lawsuit. They clarified that they had never proposed a $10.5 million settlement amount as stated by Brofsky. Instead, they conveyed they had been approached by Peppers’ lawyer for settlement talks and refuted any theories arguing financial motives behind the legal action. The firm emphasized that their suit did not demand a specific sum, leaving any potential compensation to be determined by a jury.
As the NFL conducts its own preliminary investigation into the October incident, the league clarified that Peppers’ restored roster status would not influence the ongoing review. The case continues to develop both within and outside the courtroom, resonating deeply in sports legal circles and among Patriots fans watching closely.
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