The Patriots’ $24-million security Jabrill Peppers admitted to possessing cocaine forward of jury choice for a trial on assault costs.
Peppers, 29, appeared in Quincy District Courtroom Thursday morning together with his lawyer the place he admitted to possessing cocaine. However the Patriots captain nonetheless faces costs that he choked after which threw a girl down the steps.
Protection legal professional Marc Brofsky informed jurors this morning that Peppers himself will testify.
Braintree Police arrested Peppers after 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning at his handle. The lady who accuses Peppers of assault was handled by EMS on the scene and informed police that Peppers had “hit her, choked her, took off her clothing and put her outside,” based on the police report.
Peppers allegedly grabbed the girl by the neck and and smashed her head in opposition to the wall earlier than throwing her down the steps of his condominium.
Police say they discovered a substance they believed to be cocaine in Peppers’ pockets throughout his arrest. Peppers admitted in court docket Wednesday that it was certainly cocaine. A possession cost was continued with out a discovering following Peppers’ confession.
Peppers’ trial was initially scheduled Wednesday, however the court docket was closed because of a water primary break.
“I’m sorry about what happened yesterday. Kind of out of our control,” Choose Mark Coven informed the media forward of bringing potential jurors in. “We weren’t happy about the water main breaking, either.”
Peppers missed seven video games since being positioned on the commissioner’s exempt record on Oct. 9 following the incident. This prevented him from working towards or enjoying with the Patriots however allowed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to put a participant on paid go away whereas reviewing his case. He was faraway from the record on Nov. 25 however appeared in solely two of the Patriots’ last 5 video games this season due to foot and hamstring accidents. He was positioned on injured reserve earlier than the crew’s season finale in opposition to the Buffalo Payments on Jan. 5.
The league stated beforehand that its assessment of Peppers’ legal case is ongoing and was not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster standing that allowed him to return to play. His present contract with the Patriots runs by way of 2027.
— Herald wire companies contributed to this report.
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