Former NFL Star Kellen Winslow Jr. who had a successful career spanning 10 seasons, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of rape and other sex-related crimes against as many as five different women in the premises of Southern California.
Kellen Winslow is the son of San Diego Chargers Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr. He was the most sought out player of his time. He became popular as soon as he graduated from his college in Miami.
Winslow finished in the top-10 NFL scorers’ list in 2006 and was named for the Pro Bowl 2007, the following season. During his tenure he earned $43 million in earnings, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. He played for Tampa Bay, New England, Cleveland, and New York.
37-year-old Winslow was convicted of raping a 58-year-old homeless woman and an unconscious teenage girl in two separate incidents. He was also convicted of indecently exposing himself to a 57-year-old woman with an intention of committing rape, and also for lewd conduct in public with a 77-year-old lady.
Winslow had agreed last month for a plea deal against his crimes. He was handed a 14-year-sentence by the judge which is the maximum punishment allowed under the said agreement.
Judge Blain Bowman announced his judgment stating that Winslow is a sexual predator who is an expert in preying on vulnerable victims, and carries out his crimes in the most brazen way.
The defense attorneys argued that their client had sustained more than 1000 hits on his head during his decade-long career and he had been suffering from frontal lobe damage and other symptoms related to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). In short, they defended his crimes by claiming that he was not in his senses at the time of committing those crimes.
His father also appeared in the court claiming that his son is a good man with a huge heart and he is dealing with depression already. He needs rehabilitation instead of punishment and the judge should consider this as well.
Still, the judge upheld his verdict, and Kellen Winslow Jr. was awarded the sentence.
