Ahmad Brooks Pleads Not Guilty to Sexual Battery: Latest Details and Reaction

A lawyer for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks entered a not guilty plea in court Tuesday in relation to a charge of misdemeanor sexual battery.  

Damian Trujillo of NBC Bay Area confirmed the plea and noted Brooks, who has continued to play for the 49ers as the case continues, didn't appear in court for the hearing.

In August, Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today reported prosecutors charged the 31-year-old defender after a woman claimed he "touched her in a sexual manner" on the same December 2014 night she alleged Ray McDonald sexually assaulted her.

The 49ers released a statement about the situation after Brooks was included in the team's final 53-man roster in early September, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com:

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We have been in close communication with the league, and a preliminary status decision has been made regarding Ahmad Brooks. Ahmad will remain on the active roster. In addition to the steps the organization has taken to this point, both the judicial and the league process under the Personal Conduct Policy will continue. Those processes will dictate any further action.

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The linebacker has appeared in each of the team's first three regular-season games. He has registered just seven combined tackles and no sacks in those contests.

KTVU reported the NFL and the 49ers continue to review the situation, but for now, he remains eligible to play. The next court date in the case is scheduled for the end of October.

Corey Lemonier and Eli Harold will receive more prominent roles if Brooks ends up missing time due to the incident. In the meantime, San Francisco will rely on him to start generating a more consistent pass rush with 41 career sacks on his resume.