Former NFL wide receiver David Boston was facing four years in jail for punching a woman in the face instead he got six months. So why was the judge more lenient on him? Read more after the jump.
Last month Boston pleaded guilty to aggravated assault after a drunken confrontation led to him punching a woman in the face and her receiving 10 stitches. Assistant State Attorney Christy Rogers was seeking to put Boston in jail for four years but Circuit Judge Charles Burton agreed to six months in jail and five years probation acknowledging that Boston suffered from a brain disorder.
Boston showed great remorse for the act committed and blamed his off the field actions on concussions sustained on the field. Psychiatrist Lawrence V. Tucker, of Plano, Texas, testified that a recent evaluation of Boston’s brain shows at least four concussions from his playing days. Boston has also joined a group of players suing the NFL for brain damage.
This is clearly a growing problem as we’ve seen not only a rise in violence against others but also a rise in self inflicted violence mainly suicide committed by former and current football players. Something has to be done in terms of psychiatric evaluations as well as mental help. On the other hand we also have to wonder how much can we blame on these concussions and how much will people let players get away with?
