QUINCY – New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was scheduled to go on trial Wednesday in Quincy, Massachusetts on domestic violence charges. But, due to a water main break at Quincy District Court, the start of the trial has been delayed until Thursday, a court clerk told WBZ-TV.
Peppers, 29, was arrested last October in Braintree. Police said he shoved his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choked her six times after she received a phone call while they were in bed together.
Jabrill Peppers charges
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment last fall to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine, according to court documents.
Police said Pepper’s girlfriend refused to go to a hospital and was treated at the home for her injuries.
Peppers answered the door shirtless, nodding his head and telling police, “I know what is going on,” according to court documents. He was arrested without incident. Police said they found a clear plastic bag at the home containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine.
In an October court appearance, Peppers’ attorney, Marc Brofsky, said evidence “sheds real doubt on the allegations, including videotaped evidence.” He said Peppers agreed not to have contact with the woman.
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Jabrill Peppers career
Peppers missed seven games since being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 9 following the incident. This prevented him from practicing or playing with the Patriots but allowed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to place a player on paid leave while reviewing his case. He was removed from the list on Nov. 25 and lost his role as a team captain. He appeared in only two of the Patriots’ final five games this season because of foot and hamstring injuries. He was placed on injured reserve before the team’s season finale against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5.
The Patriots signed Peppers, a safety in his third season with the team, to an extension over the summer. Peppers was originally drafted by Cleveland in 2017 and spent two seasons with the Browns before playing for the New York Giants for three seasons.
The league said previously that its review of Peppers’ criminal case is ongoing and was not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status that allowed him to return to play. His current contract with the Patriots runs through 2027.
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Associated Press writers Michael Casey and Kyle Hightower contributed to this report.
