NFL: Ex Cowboy, Josh Brent Sentenced To 180 Days In Jail

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent has been convicted of intoxication manslaughter stemming from the 2012 crash that claimed the life of teammate and friend Jerry Brown.

According to a USA Today report, Brent could receive anything from probation to 20 years. However, the prosecution is likely to push for a stringent sentence in order to show that intoxication manslaughter is a serious crime and will be treated as such.

The report has some of the major details from the case that painted a picture of how Brent's night went before the crash, establishing what was the crux of the prosecution's case:


Brent retired from the NFL last year, but his ties to the Cowboys were prominent at trial. Two current players, Barry Church and Danny McCray, testified about hanging out with Brent and Brown, first playing video games, then having dinner and going to Privae, a Dallas nightclub.

Jurors saw video of Brent appearing to hold bottles of Champagne in each hand and credit-card receipts that showed Brent had purchased three bottles. They also saw police dash cam footage of Brent losing his balance during field sobriety tests and occasionally stumbling over his words while talking to officers.

Brent's attorney, George Milner, also argued that his client wasn't guilty of drinking before the accident, but instead "guilty of being stupid behind the wheel of a car."

Following the accident, many expressed disapproval after Brent was shown on the Cowboys sideline during their Week 15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some felt it was too soon after Brown's death for Brent to be hanging around the Cowboys team considering the circumstances of the tragic situation.

He was there at the behest of his teammates, but that didn't stop the league from banning him from the sidelines for the rest of the season.  

At the time of the crash, Brent was beginning to work his way into the starting lineup. After playing in 22 games during his first two years in the league, he made a big jump in his third year, starting five games and making another seven appearances.

That 2012 season looked to be Brent's last even before he was convicted. In July 2013, the 25-year-old announced his retirement from the league.

Brown died at 25 years old. He was Brent's teammate at the University of Illinois in 2007 and 2008. He played just one game at linebacker for the Cowboys in 2012.