Football is a violent sport—especially at the professional level. Players are required to compete with little regard and reckless abandon for their bodies and others. Those who can dish out the most violent hits are often rewarded with hefty contracts and plenty of love from the fans. However, a few NFL players fail to leave that violence on the field.
The following are the five worst crimes in NFL history:
- Aaron Hernandez – Shortly after signing a five-year contract with the New England Patriots, Aaron Hernandez was charged with the murder of his acquaintance, Odin Lloyd, in 2013. He was later found guilty in 2015 of first-degree murder, as well as five weapon charges, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Hernandez was also charged with a double-murder that occurred in Boston back in 2012. In April 2017, he was found dead in his prison cell after apparently hanging himself with a bedsheet.
- Ray Lewis – Ray Lewis was arrested for two counts of first-degree murder after he was involved in a fight which resulted in the stabbing and death of one of the people involved. Lewis ended up pleading guilty to obstruction of justice and the charges were dropped. He admitted to misleading police with his statements and the suit he was wearing during the fight was never found.
- Rae Carruth – Cherica Adams, the Carolina Panthers wide receiver’s girlfriend—who was pregnant with Carruth’s baby—was shot four times in a drive-by shooting. While Adams died, the child survived. Carruth received a prison sentence of 18 to 24 years.
- O.J. Simpson – Simpson was accused of murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her lover, Ronald Goldman. He was found not guilty, but later was found in a wrongful death suit filed by the victim’s family. O.J. was recently released from prison on parole after serving time for an armed robbery and kidnapping case.
- Robert Rozier – Although he was an NFL player for only six games, Rozier served time in jail for a series of petty crimes. After his release, he found Yahweh beh Yahweh’s “Temple of Love” and eventually joined Yahweh’s secret group, “The Brotherhood.” In order to gain entrance into this group, applicants had to murder a “white devil” and return with a body part to prove it. Rozier admitted to murdering seven people, and he received a 10-year prison sentence after making a deal to testify against the cult leader.
If you were recently arrested for a criminal offense in Minnesota, request a consultation with our Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer at Brockton D. Hunter P.A. today.