PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Spencer Pearson, a 20-year-old who stabbed his ex-girlfriend, star Ponte Vedra High athlete Madison Schemitz -- causing injuries that left her paralyzed for months -- is set to be sentenced Friday. Pearson pleaded guilty to the crime in July and was expected to be sentenced in October, but his attorney asked for the sentencing to be postponed.
The reason: the defense plans to argue that Pearson has CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) from playing tackle football as they argue for a shorter sentence. CTE is known to be caused by repetitive head injuries. It has been diagnosed in several former NFL players who committed violent crimes, such as Phillip Adams, who killed six people in 2021, and Aaron Hernandez, the Patriots tight end who was convicted of one murder and accused of two more.
It's a defense that's been attempted before, but not successfully -- especially because it is impossible to diagnose CTE while someone is alive. Typically, people who are suspected of having CTE can have their brains donated and tested for the condition at the CTE Center at Boston University, where they are diagnosed posthumously, like both Phillips and Hernandez were.
Pearson's attorney, however, was able to successfully request time to have Pearson subjected to MRI's. He argued in a letter to the judge that he had recently discovered new studies that suggested you could diagnose CTE while someone is alive.
While the CTE Center says new findings could help researchers move toward diagnosing the condition during a person's life, they have not released any evidence that they have successfully done it yet.
A study attached to the motion to postpone Pearson's sentencing explains the connection between football and CTE. It explains that donated brains that were tested for CTE often belonged to football players, and 25.4% of those people had only played football through high school. Also in the study, all 11 professional football players included were diagnosed with CTE. The study does not explain how someone would be tested while alive, although it does identify signs of CTE.
In 2022, ex-NFL defensive lineman Justin Bannan tried to plea insanity when he went to trial for shooting a woman in Colorado, citing effects of head injuries from his time in football, KUSA reported. It was unsuccessful and he was sentenced to 16 years.
Lawyers for Kenneth Manzanares, a Utah man who killed his wife on a cruise ship, tried to argue he may have had CTE from high school sports; he was sentenced to 30 years.
Kellen Winslow, another former NFL player, tried to argue he may have CTE during his trial for rape. He got 14 years. His attorney told NPR he believes that this defense will become more common, and have more gravity, if they can truly diagnose it while someone is alive.
Pearson's sentencing is expected to begin at 9 a.m. Friday.
What happened during the crime?
Pearson is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder with a weapon and two counts of aggravated battery causing serious injury with a weapon.
The stabbing happened outside of Mr. Chubby's Wings in Ponte Vedra Beach on June 3. Police say Pearson had followed Schemitz for months leading up to the incident.
Schemitz and her mother, Jacki Rogé, attempted to leave the restaurant when they saw Pearson. According to police records, Pearson charged at them and stabbed Schemitz. Rogé was stabbed in the forehead and leg trying to protect her daughter.
Kennedy Armstrong, a good Samaritan who tried to help, suffered hand injuries.
Pearson attempted to slit his own throat. He spent time in the hospital before being transferred to jail.
