Antonio Brown Seeks Case Dismissal Beneath ‘Stand Your Floor’ Protection

Former NFL star Antonio Brown filed a movement this week to dismiss the second-degree tried homicide cost towards him in Miami based mostly on Florida’s “Stand Your Floor” regulation. The movement was filed Monday however shared with ESPN by his lawyer, Mark Eiglarsh, on Saturday.

The incident concerned gunfire exterior an beginner boxing match. Brown, 37, spent almost six months in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the place he traveled after the incident, earlier than being extradited by U.S. marshals. Shortly after he arrived in Miami final month, he pleaded not responsible and was arraigned.

“Brown’s use of pressure on Might 16, 2025, was absolutely justified,” the movement learn. “Brown fairly believed that the alleged sufferer meant to trigger him critical hurt.”

Richard L. Cooper, lawyer for Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, labeled the protection movement “a farcical reimagining” of what occurred.

The movement cited Florida’s 2005 regulation that eliminated “the responsibility to retreat” earlier than utilizing “lethal pressure in sure circumstances” and supplies immunity from prosecution. Brown faces as much as 30 years in jail if convicted.

Florida’s most well-known case associated to Stand Your Floor originated with the 2012 taking pictures dying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman, the shooter, asserted self-defense in his trial on second-degree homicide prices, which resulted in his acquittal in 2013. Zimmerman did not straight invoke the regulation, however the choose’s directions to the jury emphasised the Florida regulation’s fight-versus-retreat ideas.

Brown’s movement described a historical past of violence from Nantambu towards him, together with an alleged jewellery theft incident in Dubai. Nantambu spent 30 days in jail in Dubai associated to that incident, the movement says.

Within the Might incident, the movement stated, Brown was making an attempt to get to his automotive for security after Nantambu had attacked him. However police stated Brown punched Nantambu within the face after which, together with two others, continued the assault.

Nantambu walked away, based on a police description of the safety footage. Brown then “chases him down and shoots at him at level clean vary,” based on a prosecutor. Police added that video from social media confirmed Brown with a gun in his hand close to Nantambu. Two gunshots adopted. Nantambu ducked after the primary shot was heard, police stated.

Monday’s movement, which acknowledged Brown because the shooter, stated he “fairly feared” Nantambu was armed. It additionally stated Nantambu made an “aggressive motion” towards Brown.

“In that second, Brown once more fairly feared dying or nice bodily hurt,” the movement learn. Brown then fired two “warning pictures, deliberately aiming away from Nantambu to make sure he wouldn’t be struck,” the movement asserted. Brown additionally stated Nantambu took the weapon after a battle and left with it.

At a November listening to, Cooper asserted it was Brown’s intention to kill Nantambu. “By the grace of God, he was not killed,” Cooper stated. Cooper stated he believed Brown went to Dubai considering he could not be extradited and was flaunting his presence there on social media.

After he returned to Miami, Brown was launched on $25,000 bail and positioned on home arrest with a GPS ankle monitor.

Brown, who spent 12 years within the NFL, was an All-Professional huge receiver who final performed in 2021 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers however spent most of his profession with the Pittsburgh Steelers.