New England Patriots captain Jabrill Peppers was arrested Saturday morning and faces charges including assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of cocaine.
Peppers pleaded not guilty when he appeared in Quincy District Court on Monday. The incident stemmed from an early morning disturbance call following an altercation between Peppers and his girlfriend, according to court files.
The woman told Braintree police after the two had sex they got into a violent argument about someone who called her, as shared by Boston 25’s Bob Ward.
“My (boyfriend) put his hand on my neck, smashed my head against a wall, then pushed me down stairs,” the woman told police.
Police said the victim was treated by emergency medical services at the scene.
Peppers told police the two argued after sex and he asked her to leave, which she refused to do. Peppers denied choking her, hitting her head against the wall and throwing her down the stairs.
Peppers’ lawyer, Mark Brofsky. said video evidence and other evidence contradicts the woman’s allegation.
“He’s (Peppers) not going to comment now,” Brofsky told reporters at Quincy District Court, per Boston 25’s Ryan Breslin. “But what I said in the courtroom, I’ll repeat: That we have evidence that completely contradicts the alleged victim’s story. And I expect my client to be fully exonerated.”
Peppers was named a Patriots captain before the season started. The veteran safety did not play in New England’s game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. He was ruled out Saturday after he previously appeared on the injury report with a shoulder injury.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Peppers called him to tell him about the incident Saturday morning. The Patriots released a statement regarding the allegations and Mayo said the organization will gather more information.
