Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee is making a big change to his legal defense as he quite literally fights for his life against a first-degree murder charge.
According to WDEF in Tennessee, Lee made a virtual appearance on Wednesday for a hearing at the Hamilton County Criminal Court. During that hearing, former Hamilton County District Attorney Neil Pinkston announced that he would be serving as Lee's defense attorney.
Pinkston entered no plea for Lee, which will be treated as a not guilty plea by the court.
Lee will remain in custody at the Hamilton County Jail on no bond through the trial. District Attorney Coty Wamp will be leading the prosecution.
The Case
The murder charge stems from the death of his girlfriend Gabriella Perpetuo at their home in Tennessee earlier this year.
An autopsy of Perpetuo’s body indicated “multiple injuries.” There are even some allegations that he used ChatGPT to help cover up the crime. Lee is currently the subject of a $50 million wrongful death suit by Perpetuo’s family.
Court records have reportedly shown that there were prior allegations of domestic violence involving Lee prior to his arrest in Tennessee.
If convicted of first-degree murder in Tennessee he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty. Prosecutors have not ruled out seeking the death penalty in the case.
Lee won a national title and All-American honors with the Ohio State Buckeyes before going No. 20 overall to the New York Jets in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in New York and recorded 273 tackles and four sacks before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019.
As a member of the Chiefs that year he contributed mostly on special teams and got to be a part of the team’s Super Bowl LIV run despite being inactive for the Super Bowl itself.
Lee played several games for the Buffalo Bills in 2020 and was part of the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad for the 2021 offseason before being released from injured reserve.
