Raphel Jerome Cherry (born December 19, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and the Detroit Lions. He was selected by Washington in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Hawaii. In 1999, Cherry was convicted of first degree murder in the death of his wife. He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, but upon appeal of his conviction, his sentence was reduced to 30 years. Cherry became eligible for parole in 2019. He was released on parole in July 2023.