SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of molesting the same woman his former teammate, Ray McDonald, is accused of raping while she was unconscious.
If convicted of the sexual battery charge, Brooks could be sentenced to a jail term of up to six months. McDonald, who is free on $100,000 bond, pleaded not guilty on Friday to a charge of rape by intoxication, which carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
The prosecution of the two athletes marks the latest in a string of recent criminal cases brought against National Football League players accused of sexual misconduct or domestic violence.