Christian J. Barmore, a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, is currently facing charges of domestic assault and battery. This follows allegations made by his girlfriend, who reported that Barmore had physically assaulted her at their residence near Boston in August.
According to a criminal complaint filed on December 18, the 26-year-old Barmore allegedly took his girlfriend’s phone, threw her to the ground, and grabbed her by her shirt inside their home in Mansfield, Massachusetts.
Sgt. John Armstrong of the Mansfield Police revealed that the woman contacted authorities on August 25 to report the incident, which she said had occurred nearly three weeks prior. She mentioned that she had been staying intermittently at Barmore’s residence throughout their long-term relationship.
Barmore’s legal representative, David Meier, released a statement on Wednesday asserting that the evidence would show that no criminal activity took place. Meier described the situation as a personal issue and expressed confidence that it would be resolved soon, allowing both parties to move forward together.
The girlfriend reported to the police that on the morning of August 8, she entered Barmore’s bedroom with their daughter. Barmore was reportedly upset over the thermostat being set two degrees higher than his preference, although their daughter wanted to see him.
She alleged that Barmore picked up their child, placed her outside the master bedroom, and then shut the door abruptly, as detailed in the police report.
As the woman packed her belongings to leave later in the day, Barmore took the phone from her hand and disconnected a call with the woman’s mother, according to the criminal complaint. When she headed for the front door to call for help, police said, Barmore allegedly “grabbed her before she could and threw her to the floor.”
Barmore grabbed her by the shirt but “eventually let go” and the woman got up, she told police. A car provided by the team picked up the woman and their daughter and drove them to Delaware. She provided police with a photo showing bruises she said occurred when she was thrown to the floor.
New England coach Mike Vrabel said Barmore was away from the team with an illness Wednesday but that he hadn’t heard anything that would make him unavailable to play Sunday.
“We’ve made a statement and we’ve taken the allegations very seriously,” Vrabel said, referring to allegations against both Barmore and receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs has been charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery in a dispute with his former private chef.
“I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now. Let the process take its toll,” Vrabel said.
An arraignment was scheduled for early February. The charge is a misdemeanor.
The team’s public relations office e-mailed a statement saying it had been aware of the matter when it occurred and notified the league.
“The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process. We will respect that process, continue to monitor the situation closely, as we have over the past few months, and cooperate fully with the league,” the Patriots said.
Barmore was a second-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Alabama.
___
Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press reporter Kyle Hightower contributed from Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
