The San Francisco 49ers have sent Ahmad Brooks home from their practices with the Denver Broncos ahead of their preseason game this week, as the linebacker and former Niners player Ray McDonald have been indicted in a sexual assault case.
The assault case dates back to last December and the incident reportedly took place at McDonald's home. According to the San Jose Mercury News, McDonald and Brooks have been indicted, with Brooks facing one count of misdemeanor sexual battery. The report says that McDonald faces rape charges and that if he is convicted, he could spend years in jail. Brooks' charge is not as severe, but it is a major issue for the 49ers after the tumultuous offseason they have had.
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Brooks reportedly could face up to six months in jail and this case stems from an incident that happened in December and the same woman is accusing the players of assaulting her. The report says that the woman is accusing McDonald of raping her and Brooks of groping her following a fall at McDonald's home, which resulted in hitting her head. This all comes as McDonald has dealt with other issues off the field, including domestic violence issues. McDonald is no longer with the team and is not employed by an NFL team after his release by the Bears.
McDonald was previously let go by the Niners and now Brooks' situation will have to play out as well. Pro Football Talk reports that GM Trent Baalke said that Brooks will not be playing in the third preseason game for the 49ers and that he is "returning home to California," but he did not comment on the linebacker and his status regarding the start of the season. The Niners have lost a number of linebackers this offseason for various reasons and the team was planning to rely on Brooks this year.
Brooks comes in after playing in 13 games last season and making 30 total tackles while recording 6.0 sacks and that came after he had a career best 60 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2013. The Niners defense has been a mess this offseason, as players like Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Aldon Smith are all gone and that isn't even the full list of players no longer on the roster from last year.
