Antonio Brown’s Legal Maneuvers
Antonio Brown is attempting to leverage Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law to get a charge of attempted second-degree murder thrown out.
This former NFL wide receiver has filed a motion this week to dismiss a lawsuit related to a shooting outside an amateur boxing event in Miami back in May.
At 37 years old, Brown spent six months in Dubai following the incident but was extradited to Florida by federal marshals last month. He has since pleaded not guilty.
If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years behind bars.
In the motion, it states, “Brown’s use of force on May 16, 2025, was completely justified,” claiming he had reasonable grounds to believe the alleged victim intended to inflict serious harm.
This information was shared with ESPN by Brown’s lawyer, Mark Eiglash.
On the other side, the attorney for the alleged victim, Zulu Karnaine Kwame Nantambu, described the defense’s argument as a “farcical re-imagining” of the events that transpired.
The “Stand Your Ground” law from 2005 allows individuals to use deadly force in self-defense without first attempting to retreat, providing immunity from prosecution. A notable case involving this law was the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in 2012, who was acquitted the following year.
In Brown’s complaint, he asserts that Nantambu has a history of violent behavior toward him, including a past 30-day jail sentence in Dubai for jewelry theft.
Currently under house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor after being released on a $25,000 bail, Brown claims Nantambu attacked him as he approached his car. However, police reports suggest otherwise, indicating that Brown had initiated the violence by punching Nantambu first along with two other men.
“By the grace of God, [Nantambu] wasn’t killed,” Nantambu’s attorney remarked during a hearing in November.
Furthermore, prosecutors allege that Brown was pursuing Nantambu, even firing at him from close range. Brown’s legal team admitted that he used his gun as a “warning shot,” arguing that he had a reasonable fear that Nantambu was armed and making aggressive moves towards him.
