Under advisement from O.J. Simpson prosecutor Chris Darden, former NFL player Brandon Browner is appealing an attempted murder conviction using CTE as a defense.
Browner, a Super Bowl winner with both the Seahawks and Patriots, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading no contest to attempted murder and two counts of cruelty to a child following a July arrest. During the incident, Browner allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend in front of her two children.
After offering his plea and being sentenced, Browner fired his attorney and hired Darden. The former prosecutor is hoping to get Browner’s plea agreement thrown out of court because his new client wasn’t mentally fit to agree to the deal.
In court documents, Browner claims he’s been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and PTSD and says a forensic psychologist believes concentrations problems he’s having could be the result of CTE caused hits to the head he took while playing in the NFL.
The former Pro Bowler spent 11 seasons in the NFL after entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State in 2005.
After winning the Super Bowl with New England in 2015, Browner spent 2015 with the Saints, where he became the most-penalized player in league history.
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