FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers, who in early October pleaded not guilty to charges including strangulation and drug possession, was removed from the commissioner exempt list, the NFL announced Monday.
«In accordance with the Personal Conduct Policy, the league initiated a preliminary investigation into an incident from early October. That review will remain ongoing and is not affected by this change in Peppers' roster status,» the NFL said in a statement.
Peppers is now eligible to participate in all team activities, including playing in games.
«We understand that the league's investigation into the matter will continue, as will the legal process. We will await the outcome of both before making any further comment,» the Patriots said in a statement.
A jury trial, scheduled for Jan. 22, was set Friday at a pretrial hearing in Quincy, Massachusetts.
At the hearing, Peppers' attorney told the judge that the player had rejected a $10.5 million demand made by the plaintiff in connection with a possible lawsuit.
«It technically may not be extortion but is highly probative and tells you what this case is all about,» attorney Marc Brofsky said.
Attorneys for the plaintiff said their client did not ask for $10.5 million to refrain from following through on a civil case.
«We can confirm that Mr. Peppers' lawyer asked us to meet to discuss a potential settlement and asked us to convey a settlement proposal,» attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and David E. Gottlieb said in a statement. «We presented a proposal that included an apology from Mr. Peppers, a financial contribution to a domestic abuse support organization, a commitment by Mr. Peppers to undergo intensive counseling and a monetary payment for our
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