Former NFL star Antonio Brown returns to Miami to face attempted murder charges. as a result of the May shootingand his lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Jail records in Essex County, New Jersey show Brown was released Tuesday morning to be transferred to prison. Florida. Brown, one of the NFL's most popular players, has waived extradition to Florida from New Jersey, where he was taken after his arrest in Dubai.
Brown's attorney, Mark Eiglash, said in an email that he has already entered a written plea of ​​not guilty to the attempted murder charge. Brown could be in a Miami courtroom as early as Wednesday morning for a bond hearing, Eiglarash said.
According to an arrest warrant, Brown is accused of taking a gun from a security officer after a celebrity boxing match in May and firing two shots at a man he had previously fought with. The alleged victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck.
Eiglash said Brown was simply defending himself against Nantambu.
“The actions he was forced to take were purely in self-defense against the violent behavior of the alleged victim. Brown was attacked that night and he acted within his legal right to defend himself,” Eiglarsh said.
Brown was not immediately arrested because police did not initially identify Nantamba as the victim. It was only later in May that Nantambu gave police a full statement about the incident and identified Brown as the shooter, the affidavit said.
Based on his social media posts, Brown had been living in Dubai for several months. In a message after the argument, Brown said he was defending himself because he was “attacked by several people who were trying to steal my jewelry and physically harm me.”
Attempted second-degree murder in Florida carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 upon conviction.
Brown has dealt with several legal issues over the years. He was previously accused of beating a truck driver, several domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support and other incidents.
During a 2021 game for Tampa Bay against the New York Jets, Brown removed his jersey, shoulder pads and gloves and ran off the field, leading to his release by the Buccaneers and the effective end of his football career.
Brown, who spent 12 years in NFLwas an All-Pro receiver who spent most of his career with Pittsburgh. During his career, Brown had 928 receptions for over 12,291 yards, ranking 28th all-time in receptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.
