Patriots player Christian Barmore charged in domestic assault case
Patriots defensive lineman Christian J. Barmore is facing a domestic assault and battery charge after a criminal complaint alleged he assaulted his girlfriend at his home outside Boston in August, according to the charging document and statements from Barmore’s attorney and the team.
The complaint, issued Dec. 18, alleges that in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Barmore briefly took the woman’s phone, threw her to the ground, and grabbed her by the shirt inside the home. The case centers on conduct the complaint places in early August, with the woman reporting it to police later.
Mansfield Police said the woman called police on Aug. 25 after staying at the home periodically during her relationship with Barmore, which spanned several years. Police said the allegation dated to Aug. 8, when she reported she took their daughter early that morning into Barmore’s bedroom because Barmore was upset with the thermostat setting.
The complaint says the woman told police Barmore picked up their daughter, placed her on the floor outside the master bedroom, turned back into the room, and slammed the door shut. As she prepared to leave later that day, police said Barmore took her phone from her hand and disconnected a call with her mother.
Police also said that when the woman headed for the front door to call for help, Barmore allegedly grabbed her and threw her to the floor. The woman told police she believed Barmore grabbed her by the shirt but “eventually let go,” and she got up, according to the complaint.
She provided police with a photo showing bruises she said resulted from being thrown to the floor, and a car provided by the team picked up the woman and their daughter, driving them to Delaware, police said. An arraignment was scheduled for early February, and the charge is a misdemeanor.
Barmore’s lawyer, David Meier, issued a statement saying “the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place.” Meier also described the matter as personal and said he expected it to be resolved “in the near future,” adding that both parties would “move forward together.”
On Wednesday, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said Barmore was away from the team with an illness and that the coach had not heard anything that would make him unavailable to play Sunday. Vrabel said, “We’ve made a statement and we’ve taken the allegations very seriously,” and he added, “I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now. Let the process take its toll.”
The Patriots said in a statement delivered by the team’s public relations office that it was aware of the matter when it occurred and notified the league. The team said, “The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process,” and said it would “respect that process,” continue to monitor closely, and cooperate with the league.
Barmore, 26, is a second-round pick who joined the Patriots in 2021 after playing college football at the University of Alabama.