The trial for ex–Dallas Cowboy player Josh Brent, who is accused of killing fellow teammate Jerry Brown Jr. in a car accident, started on Monday.
According to Reuters, the intoxication manslaughter trial began with prosecutors saying that the defensive tackle was operating his Mercedes with reckless abandon when he crashed the vehicle. Defense lawyers contend that Brent made a terrible mistake, but was not intoxicated when he got behind the wheel.
On December 8, 2012, while driving home from a night out, police say Brent was driving at a high speed when he flipped his car over by hitting the side of a curb. The car reportedly slid and caught fire.
When Police arrived they found Brent pulling Brown’s body out of the car. Brown was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
The Associated Press reported that Irving police said the former player’s blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit after the crash.
Brown, 25, attended college with Brent at the University of Illinois and was signed to the Cowboys practice squad that season.
If convicted, Brent faces up to 20 years in prison.