RENTON, Wash. — Former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has received a deferred prosecution in his ongoing DUI case, a spokesperson with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office told ESPN.
A King County District Court judge on Tuesday granted a request by Sherman’s attorney for the deferred prosecution, which means a charge is suspended in exchange for the defendant agreeing to meet certain court requirements.
Under Washington State law, a defendant who requests a deferred prosecution must state that their conduct was the result of a substance use disorder or a mental problem and agree to two years of treatment. The court does not proceed with charges if the terms of the agreement are met. If not, the court uses a bench trial to determine guilt.
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In Washington, a deferred prosecution comes with a five-year probationary period and counts as a prior offense in future DUI prosecution.
Sherman was charged with DUI in June in connection with a February 2024 arrest, when he allegedly registered a blood alcohol level of around 0.11 — above the state’s legal limit of 0.08 — after being pulled over for speeding.
As part of a separate incident, he pleaded guilty in 2022 to negligent driving in the first degree and criminal trespass in the second degree. Those misdemeanor charges stemmed from a July 2021 incident in which he allegedly drove his SUV into a closed construction site, fled the scene and then attempted to break down the front door of his in-laws’ home.
Sherman, 37, made the Pro Bowl five times during an 11-year NFL career and was a member of the famed Legion of Boom defense that helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII. He last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 and began working as an analyst for Amazon Prime’s broadcasts of Thursday night NFL games in 2022.
