Domestic assault trial of New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers begins Wednesday

QUINCY ‒ Jury selection begins Wednesday morning in the trial of Jabrill Peppers, the New England Patriots safety charged with three counts of domestic assault and one count of drug possession after his arrest by Braintree police in October 2024.

A woman, with whom Peppers shared what the prosecution describes as an “on-again, off-again” sexual relationship, told police that Peppers strangled her, slammed her head against a wall and pushed her down a flight of stairs at his Braintree apartment on the night of Oct. 4 and 5, court documents show.

Peppers’ lawyer, Marc Brofsky, argued in pretrial hearings that the woman’s injuries, which he characterized as a scrape on the knee, are inconsistent with a brutal attack perpetrated by an exceptionally strong and large professional athlete.

Brofsky said he would argue further that hopes for financial gain lie behind the assault claims. The woman has filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Peppers in Dedham Superior Court, Brofsky said.

Peppers’ accuser is expected to take the stand. Prosecutor Abigail Bird asked that camera crews filming the trial avoid showing her face during testimony. Judge Mark Coven denied the request.

“If she wants to take the stand, she subjects herself to the same scrutiny as (Peppers) does,” he said.

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Defense will introduce cellphone video at trial

The defense will introduce four cellphone videos taken by Peppers directly after the alleged assault. Brofsky says the videos show the disrobed woman moving at ease through Pepper’s apartment, refusing to leave when asked and showing no physical or mental signs of recent trauma.

Bird described the video differently. “(Peppers) is walking around filming her, berating her while she’s naked,” she said.

Bird asked that the video be blurred to conceal the woman’s nudity. Coven denied this request too, saying that jurors need to see if there are bruises or other injuries on her body.

“I (expletive) up, coach.” Peppers’ booking statement is fair game, judge says

Brofsky objected to the prosecution introducing a statement Peppers’ made during booking, including the phrase, “I (expletive) up, coach.”

The statement doesn’t imply an admission on Peppers’ part that he assaulted his accuser, Brofsky said, but could refer to the cocaine police found in his wallet or his sexual involvement with the woman in general.

Bird said that nowhere in his recorded statement does Peppers mention cocaine, but only the woman’s allegations of violence. Bird quoted Peppers’ extended statement as follows: “I (expletive) up, coach. I went home with a girl I was kicking it with. She says I put my hands on her.”

Coven allowed Bird’s motion to introduce the statements over Brofsky’s objections.

Does Jabrill Peppers still play for the New England Patriots?

Following his Oct. 7 arrest, the NFL placed Peppers on the commissioner exempt list, barring him from games and team activities. He was reinstated Nov. 25 and returned to action Dec. 1 after missing seven games. He is no longer a captain.

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Reach Peter Blandino at pblandino@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Jury selection in New England Patriots player’s trial opens Wednesday

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