Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown has been charged with second-degree attempted murder in Florida, stemming from an incident in May outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami. Video evidence and witness statements allege Brown fired two shots at a man during a confrontation; one bullet reportedly grazed the victim’s neck. Brown was arrested abroad in Dubai by U.S. Marshals and extradited back to the United States to face the charge.
In court, Brown pleaded not guilty and asserted he acted in self-defense, claiming he was attacked and responded accordingly. The judge set bail at $25,000 and ordered Brown released on bond, under strict conditions including house arrest and a GPS ankle monitor. Prosecutors had pushed for him to be held without bail, arguing his international travel history made him a flight risk.
The defending side believes that Brown was traveling to avoid his penalty. They believe that he went to a specific country because Brown believed that it was non-extraditable. The victim’s lawyer, Richard Cooper, believes that Browns only intention was to kill his client the entire time.
If convicted of the charge, Brown faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine. The case marks another major legal episode in Brown’s post-NFL life, which has already been marked by prior legal issues and controversies.
