Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers faces trial on domestic violence charges

QUINCY, Mass. — Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers is scheduled to go on trial Wednesday for allegedly driving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and repeatedly choking her after she answered the phone while they were in bed together.

Court documents show Peppers, 29, faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine. He will appear in court in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Police in Braintree, Massachusetts, said they were called to a home regarding an argument between two people that occurred in October. Court documents say Peppers knocked the woman to the ground, pushed her head into a wall and allegedly choked her six times.

Police said she refused to go to hospital and was treated at home for her injuries.

Court documents say Peppers answered the door shirtless, nodding and telling police, “I know what’s going on.” He was arrested without incident. Police said they found a clear plastic bag in the house containing a white powder that was later found to contain cocaine.

During the October hearing, Peppers’ attorney, Marc Brofsky, said the evidence “casts doubt on the allegations, including the videotaped evidence.” He said Peppers agreed not to contact the woman.

Since Peppers was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 9 following the incident, Peppers has missed seven games. It prevented him from practicing or playing with the Patriots, but allowed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to place the player on paid leave while his case was reviewed. He was removed from the list on Nov. 25 but played in only two of the Patriots’ final five games this season due to foot and hamstring injuries. He was placed on injured reserve before the season finale against the Buffalo Bills on January 5.

The Patriots signed Peppers, a backup in his third season with the team, to an extension this summer. Peppers was originally drafted by Cleveland in 2017 and spent two seasons with the Browns before playing three seasons with the New York Giants.