A strange case of a former NFL lineman, Justin Bannan, facing multiple charges in an attempted murder took another bizarre twist Thursday.
The former Denver Bronco pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity as he faces attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault (extreme indifference), first-degree assault (intent to cause serious bodily injury), and first-degree burglary charges, KDVR reported.
Bannan, 41, was a fifth-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2002. He played for the Bills from 2002-05 and the Baltimore Ravens from ’06-09.
He played in 16 games for the Broncos in 2010 and 2012, with stints with the St. Louis Rams in 2011 and the Detroit Lions in 2013.
Per KDVR:
According to an arrest affidavit, after Bannan was arrested, he told an officer he has hydrocephalus, which can lead to the loss of reasoning skills and other issues. Bannan reportedly told the officer he got rid of his cellphone because someone was using it to track him.
The officer also said Bannan told him he believed the Russian mafia was following him. He said he went into a dark room at Black Lab Sports to hide from the mafia.
Bannan reportedly said the shooting was an “accident,” saying he only fired once and did not mean to hit the woman.
The affidavit also states officers recovered items Bannan was carrying when he was arrested, including a rolled-up $20 bill with a white, powdery residue which tested positive for cocaine.
If found not guilty by reason of insanity, Bannon would be held at a psychiatric facility for treatment until he was deemed not to be a threat to himself or the community.
Boulder Deputy District Attorney Adrian Van Nice requested that Bannan be taken into custody for in-patient evaluation due to public safety concerns.
“By entering this plea today, what the defendant is saying is, ‘I did these things but my behavior is excused,’” Van Nice said. “As a result, the defendant is admitting that he poses the same risk today that the court could find that he poses at the end of trial.”
Van Nice also was concerned that CTE is a “complex” disease that might need more in-depth observation, and one that does not have treatment options.