Jabrill Peppers pleads guilty to cocaine possession before trial on domestic violence charges begins
By Matt Schooley
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QUINCY, Massachusetts (WBZ) — New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers pleaded guilty to cocaine possession Thursday just before his trial on domestic violence charges began in a Massachusetts courtroom.
Peppers, 29, was arrested last October in Braintree. According to court documents following Peppers’ arrest, the woman said the Patriots player hit her, choked her, took off her clothing, and put her outside. Peppers was also accused of pushing the woman down the stairs.
Both the prosecution and defense attorney Marc Brofsky say that Peppers and the woman were in a consensual sexual relationship.
Prosecutors said the incident began because the woman received a phone call from another man that “enraged” Peppers. A defense attorney said that is not the case, and the incident began because the woman attempted to have unprotected sex with Peppers and would not leave his townhouse.
The woman declined medical treatment after the incident. She later filed a civil lawsuit against Peppers. During his opening statement, Peppers’ attorney described the injuries as “next to nothing,” saying she scraped her knee.
Jabrill Peppers trial
A jury was seated on Thursday and opening statements got underway. Several videos that recorded on his cellphone were introduced as evidence in the trail.
Prosecutors argued that Peppers attacked the woman because he was jealous of the phone call from another man. Brofsky described the alleged victim as “a woman who’s trying to get paid,” saying she only started seeing a doctor a day after hiring a high-profile civil attorney and seeking millions of dollars.
The alleged victim in the case was the first witness to take the stand. Peppers is expected to testify as well.
During her testimony, the woman said she received three phone calls from another man, and after the third call Peppers asked her to leave. She said she called Peppers a name, and he then grabbed her with one hand around the neck and pushed her against the wall.
Video evidence
With the alleged victim on the stand, prosecutors played videos from the night in question.
In one video, Peppers can be heard telling the woman to put her clothes on and leave his house.
“Why are you not leaving my house? Can you get out of my house?” he can be heard saying, asking the woman “Who said you can put my clothes on? … You’re not taking my clothes with you.”
Brofsky said at the start of trial that Peppers recorded the videos to protect himself from allegations by the woman, a technique the attorney said is advised by the NFL.
The prosecutor in the case asked the woman why she didn’t leave the home when asked.
“Because I was naked,” the woman responded.
Brofsky said the woman was laughing and smiling at the time of the alleged assault. The woman told the prosecutor she was laughing because she was nervous.
Civil lawsuit against Jabrill Peppers
Prosecutors asked the alleged victim why she filed a civil lawsuit.
“I filed a civil lawsuit because I wanted to hold him accountable,” the woman said.
She said her lawsuit called for Peppers to offer her a personal apology and undergo therapy and anger management.
The prosecution asked if she was aware of financial requests in the lawsuit. She said she relied on her attorney for the monetary terms. While on the stand, the woman said the lawsuit sought $9.5 million.
Jabrill Peppers change of plea
Peppers’ trial was scheduled to start Wednesday, but was delayed due to a water main break at Quincy District Court.
Before jury selection began on Thursday, the judge accepted Peppers’ change of plea on the charge of possession of a Class B substance. The charge was continued for four months without a finding. Brofsky said Peppers has no criminal record and he’s “been a model citizen everywhere he lived.”
According to Brofsky, Peppers was tested 10 times or more a month after his arrest as part of the NFL’s drug program. Peppers completed the program in December, and returned to the team.
Who is Jabrill Peppers?
Peppers was drafted by Cleveland in 2017 out of the University of Michigan and spent his first two seasons with the Browns. He also played with the New York Giants for three seasons before joining the Patriots. In 2024, New England signed Peppers to an extension and named him team captain.
Peppers was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list in October, and removed from the list on November 25. He lost his team captain status following his arrest.
After returning to the team, Peppers played in two of the Patriots’ final five games due to injury.
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