Patriots Safety Jabrill Peppers Acquitted In Braintree Assault Case

BRAINTREE, MA — New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was acquitted on charges in his assault trial on Friday.

A jury heard from both the woman who alleged that Peppers choked and shoved her during an argument at his Braintree home and Peppers himself.

The Associated Press reported that the prosecution showed videos in which Peppers was filming the woman — who was naked — and asking her to leave his home. Peppers' accuser said he was taunting her while she was trying to get her belongings and leave.

ESPN reports that Peppers' attorney challenged the woman's claims in court and also cited a lawsuit she filed against him, which sought over $9 million. While the attorney said the woman was after money, she said "you can't put a number on trauma."

Peppers was originally charged with assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a substance believed to be cocaine and strangulation. He pleaded not guilty to them in October, and was placed on the NFL's Commissioner Exempt List for a stretch of games.

Peppers did admit to possessing cocaine, but the charge could be dropped after four months if Peppers stays out of trouble with law enforcement.

The safety took to social media after the trial to share his thoughts:

"What people choose to believe about you is indicative of how they feel about you. I needed that reminder! To those who believed in me and knew I would never do what I was accused of doing to a woman, thank you. Those who believed the accusations without any evidence, thank u too."

Peppers is signed with the Patriots through the 2027 season after agreeing to a three-year extension in 2024.