Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers likely won’t be returning this season.
Peppers, who hasn’t played since he was charged with assault, strangulation and drug possession in October, is on the commissioner’s exempt list and is expected to remain there until after the conclusion of the regular season.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss provided an update on the situation on Friday, revealing the 29-year-old had a jury trial set for Jan. 22.
Peppers was arrested on Oct. 5 following an altercation between him and his girlfriend, according to court files. New England’s former captain faces charges including assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and possession of cocaine, and he pleaded not guilty when he first appeared in Quincy District Court.
Peppers’ attorney Marc Brofsky, who represented him on Friday, said in court that the woman accusing him of assault demanded $10.5 million from him, which “tells you what this case is all about,” per Reiss.
Brofsky also said he has video evidence showing “there are no injuries consistent with any of those types of things happening; the only thing you see is that this woman has a small scrape on her knee.”
Patriots owner Robert Kraft addressed the charges in an appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” stating he would cut the player if the reports turned out to be true.
