BOSTON — On Thursday, a woman took the stand in the trial of New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers, alleging he assaulted her by grabbing her neck, slamming her against a wall, and pushing her down a staircase after she received multiple calls from another man while they were together in bed.
During the initial day of the trial, charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon were discussed. The prosecution presented video evidence showing Peppers demanding that the naked woman leave his home in Braintree, Massachusetts. The woman testified that he filmed her and mocked her as she attempted to gather her belongings after the alleged attack.
A police report from the incident in October corroborated the woman’s account. Authorities noted that she declined to go to the hospital and instead received treatment for her injuries at her residence.
“He held me by the neck and pushed me against the wall,” she recounted, becoming emotional. “My feet weren’t touching the floor as he pressed me there.”
Peppers’ attorney, Marc Brofsky, scrutinized the woman’s narrative and the severity of her injuries during cross-examination, pointing out that she waited until after leaving Peppers’ residence to report the incident. He questioned why she did not seek hospital care for her facial and knee injuries.
“If you were severely injured—like having your head smashed or being strangled—wouldn’t you go to the hospital?” Brofsky asked.
He also referenced a civil lawsuit the woman filed against Peppers for $9.5 million, suggesting her motivations were financial. However, she defended her position, stating, “You can’t quantify trauma.” She expressed that she sought an acknowledgment of regret from Peppers and wished for him to undergo anger management counseling.
Early in the morning following the alleged confrontation, Peppers reportedly answered the door without a shirt, and, according to court documents, acknowledged to officers, “I know what is going on.” He was taken into custody without any resistance. Officers claimed to have discovered a bag containing a white substance in the house, which later tested positive for cocaine.
On the same day, Peppers conceded to possession of cocaine ahead of his domestic violence case. This charge was deferred without a finding, meaning that if he maintains good behavior for four months, it will be dismissed.
Peppers took the witness stand later in the day to present his side of the story, starting with details about his relationship with the woman before the court session concluded. He is scheduled to continue his testimony on Friday.
Since being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list on October 9 due to the incident, Peppers has missed seven games. This decision prohibited him from participating in practices or games with the Patriots, allowing NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to place him on paid leave while his situation was under review. He was released from this list on November 25 but participated in only two of the Patriots’ last five games, suffering from foot and hamstring injuries. Peppers was placed on injured reserve prior to the season-ending match against the Buffalo Bills on January 5.
The Patriots had signed Peppers, who is now in his third season with the franchise, to an extension over the summer. He was originally picked by Cleveland in 2017, spending two years with the Browns before joining the New York Giants for three seasons.
The league has previously stated that the examination of Peppers’ criminal case remains active and is unaffected by his roster status change, which allowed him to resume playing. He is currently contracted with the Patriots until 2027.
