Ex-NFL Starter Found Guilty on Two Heinous Counts: 'I Finally Have Justice'
Former New York Giants offensive lineman Chad Wheeler was found guilty of two counts of domestic violence on Thursday.
The charges stemmed from a 2021 incident involving Wheeler, 29, and his then-girlfriend, according to ESPN.
A jury in Seattle found Wheeler guilty of first- and second-degree assault/domestic violence, but not guilty of a third count of unlawful imprisonment.
Wheeler was arrested in January 2021 after being accused of pinning his girlfriend down and twice choking her until she lost consciousness.
When she regained consciousness the second time, Wheeler allegedly expressed surprise that she had survived.
The woman in question, Alleah Taylor, suffered injuries including a fractured humerus and a dislocated elbow.
According to ESPN, Wheeler has bipolar disorder and said he was experiencing a “manic episode” during the incident.
A representative of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office told ESPN that the state will seek a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for the first-degree assault charge because the jury determined that Wheeler “used force or means likely to result in death.”
“I finally have justice,” Taylor posted on X on Friday.
I finally have justice 🙏🏽❤️
— Alleah taylor (@alleah_taylor1) November 10, 2023
Wheeler was a standout lineman at the University of Southern California, securing second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2015 and first-team in 2016.
Despite the talent he exhibited at USC, Wheeler also showed some of the struggles that would go on to end his career.
Most notably, Wheeler missed the 2015 Holiday Bowl after an incident with police that saw him get shot with bean bag rounds before being placed in a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
Wheeler signed with the Giants in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and would eventually earn a starting role in the 2018 season.
Wheeler last played for the Seattle Seahawks as a backup before being cut following his domestic violence arrest.
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