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Brian Keith Blades (born July 24, 1965 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL.

Blades graduated from Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida in 1983.

He attended the University of Miami. After graduating, he was chosen in the 2nd round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Blades spent his entire eleven year career with the Seahawks, playing for the team from 1988-1998. He signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks prior to the 1999 season, but was cut on June 5, 1999.

Manslaughter conviction and acquittal

Blades was charged with manslaughter for the death of his cousin, Charles Blades Jr. Blades initially plead "no contest" but later changed his plea to "not guilty" before the trial. Blades claimed the pistol accidentally discharged a round into his cousin while he struggled with him. During the trial, the prosecuting attorney and a gun expert staged a mock struggle with a blank filled gun where the gun accidentally discharged.

After a jury convicted Blades of manslaughter, the presiding Judge Susan Lebow overturned the verdict 72 hours later, citing the prosecution's failure to provide enough evidence for conviction.^[1] The case was appealed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, where the court upheld his acquittal.^[2]

Personal

He is the older brother of former NFL cornerback Bennie Blades and uncle of former University of Pittsburgh and current Washington Redskins linebacker H. B. Blades.

References