Former Kansas City Chiefs pro football player Joe Bruner was sentenced to nearly a year in prison for assaulting a CPA whom he blamed for his troubles with the IRS.
Florida Circuit Court Judge John Brown sentenced the 57-year-old former NFL player to 11 months and 29 days in jail on Monday and ordered him to attend anger management classes, according to the
Bruner was found guilty of felony battery in August, but was acquitted of retaliating against a witness. His accountant, Wayne Montgomery, accused him of striking him several times during a meeting at Bruners home in July of last year. Bruner was upset that Montgomery hadnt been able to do more to help him get a larger refund from the IRS, and he accused Montgomery of working for the accounting firm Carr, Riggs and Ingram, which Bruner had sued. Bruner is the former owner of an amusement attraction called Big Kahunas water park.
Montgomery testified that Bruner first waved a fake gun and yelled at another man who was present at the meeting. After the other man walked out of the room, Bruner took out his aggressions on his CPA, punching him in the eye, pushing him face down onto a recliner, and then punching him repeatedly in the head, neck and back.
Montgomery said that Bruner later called him in January at 4:38 in the morning and threatened him, Battery, battery, battery. You just think battery. That was not battery. You aint seen battery. Next whipping Im giving you real battery. Im going to destroy you and your property in Alabama and Tennessee.
Bruner denied ever striking his accountant, but the prosecutor said he has an excuse for everything.
In addition to time in the county jail and anger management classes, Bruner has also been ordered to submit to regular drug and alcohol tests, surrender any of his weapons, and avoid contact with his CPA.
