Content Warning: This story contains depictions of alleged domestic violence.
New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers has been acquitted by a jury in his assault and battery trial on Friday.
Peppers was arrested on Oct. 5 in Braintree, Mass. after a domestic incident with his girlfriend. He was later charged with assault and battery, strangulation and possession of a Class "B" substance, which was reportedly believed to be cocaine.
The woman testified in court on Thursday that she and Peppers had gotten into an argument while they were in bed, and that he had grabbed her neck, slammed her against the wall and pushed her down the stairs as the fight escalated. The police report matched the woman's testimony.
Peppers testified on Friday, saying on the stand that he told police that he believed "she was trying to do all this to mess up my career," per The Boston Globe.
Peppers is in his third season with the Patriots and is a team captain. He signed a three-year, $24 million extension last summer.
The safety was added to the commissioners' exempt list a few days after he was arrested. He was removed from the list in late November, allowing him to return to team activities.
Shortly after Peppers was arrested, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said that the team would part ways with him if the accusations were true, saying that "if what is reported is true, he's gone." It is unclear what Peppers' status on the team will be now that he has been acquitted.
