Lawyers for Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar yesterday said that witnesses signed affidavits maintaining that the two NFL players took no part in an alleged armed robbery on Wednesday night in Miramar, Florida.
Arrest warrants were issued on Thursday for Dunbar, a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, and Baker, a cornerback for the New York Giants.
Baker, 22, faces four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, while Dunbar, 27, faces four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
Photo: AFP
However, Dunbar’s attorney, Michael Grieco, and Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, maintain the players’ innocence, citing statements that both said they received from people at the scene.
“I want to thank @miramarpd for being professional in regards to surrendering and issues with the case,” Cohen wrote in a post on Instagram. “We understand that the officers can only base warrants on what was told to them at the time. We have had affidavits from several witnesses that also dispute the allegations and exculpate our client... We would have rather presented them to the court at the proper time, rather than in the media, but in this day and age, people rush to judgment. I look forward to moving this case forward to proper conclusion, as we believe our client is innocent of any charges.”
Grieco told multiple media outlets that even though his office had received statements from “star witnesses recanting within 48 hours” what they had told Miramar police, the police were still requiring Dunbar to turn himself in on the charges.
“I have never in my career seen a police department so excited about arresting a celebrity,” the lawyer said.
Miramar Police Department spokeswoman Tania Rues disputed that claim when speaking with the Miami Herald, saying that four alleged victims and one witness identified Dunbar under oath.
“If any of them have changed their stories, we would welcome them to come back to the Miramar police station for a new statement,” Rues told the Herald.
The police department did not do anything out of the ordinary in the case because celebrities were involved, she added.
Baker and Dunbar were attending a cookout at a Miramar home on Wednesday night when a fight broke out, and Baker pulled out a handgun, the warrant said.
Baker, Dunbar and two other men began robbing other people at the party of thousands of dollars in cash, watches and other valuables, witnesses told investigators.
The Seahawks said that they were aware of the situation, but were deferring comment to the league and local investigators.
Additional reporting by AP
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