Kellen Winslow II Requests Reduced Sentence in Prison Appeal

Former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II is pursuing a reduction in his prison sentence, taking advantage of newly enacted criminal justice laws in California.

Winslow, now 41 years old, was a top draft pick, selected sixth overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2004. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2021 after being charged with various sex crimes. As part of a plea agreement reached in February of that year, he pleaded guilty to one count of rape and two counts of assault.

In a recent court filing reviewed by USA Today, Winslow is requesting that his sentence be lessened based on a California law that allows for relief if a defendant has experienced “psychological, physical, or childhood trauma, including, but not limited to, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or sexual violence.”

This legislation was introduced in October 2021, only months after Winslow’s sentencing in March.

In his court petition, Winslow argues that the brain injuries he sustained from multiple concussions throughout his football career, along with the aftermath of a motorcycle accident in 2005 and childhood sexual abuse by two relatives, qualify him for a sentence reconsideration, as reported by USA Today.

“I am committed to being a productive person when released, and I will always feel remorse for what I did to the victims in my case,” Winslow expressed in the petition.

He is currently serving his sentence at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco and will not be eligible for parole until September 2028.

According to his declaration, Winslow spends his time reading the Bible and self-help literature, running with fellow inmates, and participating in counseling programs.

“My goal was to become a better man and one day reunite with my wife, who stood by me for a long time, and my two children,” Winslow stated in the petition.

It is worth noting that Winslow’s wife, Janelle, filed for divorce in 2019.

Throughout his career, Winslow played in 105 games (with 83 starts) for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and New York Jets from 2004 to 2013.