Few NFL stars have experienced such a dramatic post-career unraveling as Antonio Brown, and his story just took another unexpected twist. In the latest updates of his attempted m–der case, the alleged victim has reportedly skipped out on a mandatory deposition. And this absence has set the stage for the defense to push for sanctions and raise questions about the witness’s future involvement in the trial.

According to reports from LA Magazine’s Lauren Conlin, the alleged 41-year-old Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu did not appear for a deposition scheduled Thursday morning despite allegedly being personally served notice to attend. The missed appearance triggered a legal response from Brown’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, who filed a Motion for Rule to Show Cause asking the court to compel Nantambu to explain his absence.

The incident dates back to May 16, 2025, when Antonio Brown attended a celebrity boxing event hosted by streamer Adin Ross in Miami’s Little Haiti neighbourhood. Outside of the event, Brown engaged in an altercation with Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu and several other individuals. Video footage reportedly showed Brown, wearing a green army helmet, getting into a physical melee and throwing the first swing after being approached by a man dressed in black.

However, when the security guards stepped in to break the fight, an arrest warrant alleged that Brown struggled with a security staffer, snatched a black handg-n from the guard’s right hip area, chased Nantambu behind a white SUV, and fired two sh-ts at close range. One of the bullets grazed Nantambu’s neck.

Later, police detained Antonio Brown at the scene, but he was released without immediate charges. Miami-Dade authorities issued an arrest warrant for second-degree attempted m–der, but Brown evaded the warrant and flew to Dubai.

But on November 6, 2025, in a joint operation, U.S. Marshals and Dubai Police arrested Brown in the Middle East. He was flown back to the U.S. and temporarily held at a jail in Essex County, New Jersey. Shortly after, in November, Brown was extradited to Florida and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. However, he pleaded not guilty and was released on a $25,000 bond under strict house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor.

The prosecutors formally arraigned Brown and announced they are seeking a firearm sentencing enhancement, raising his maximum potential penalty from 15 to 30 years in prison. Meanwhile, Brown’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, filed a formal motion to dismiss all charges under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, arguing that Brown fired warning shots in self-defense against a stalker.

In February 2026, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez established the blueprint for the legal proceedings, officially scheduling the Stand Your Ground immunity hearing for June 23, 2026, and setting the criminal trial date for January 11, 2027. According to the latest update, the alleged victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, failed to appear for his mandatory deposition.

Apart from filing a Motion for Rule to Show Cause, the defense is also reportedly seeking potential sanctions against Nantambu. This would include possible contempt proceedings and even a request to bar him from appearing on the prosecution’s witness list if noncompliance continues. Miami Judge Tinkler Mendez has since ordered Nantambu to appear before the court at 9 a.m. Friday, May 15.

Since his retirement, the former wide receiver has been surrounded by legal troubles. Now, only time will tell what lies ahead for the 37-year-old.