Here’s the latest on the alleged armed robbery case involving NFL cornerbacks DeAndre Baker and Quinton Dunbar.
Baker’s alibi is he was playing “Madden,” his lawyer told the New York Post.
Patrick Patel, one of two attorneys representing the New York Giants cornerback, told the New York tabloid his client was in another room when all hell broke loose at a Miramar, Fla., house party.
“Far from an individual who’s going somewhere with an alleged intent to rob somebody, an armed robbery, to go there and hook up his ‘Madden’ game, play the game for over an hour and then leave it there and go home,’’ Patrick Patel, one of Baker’s attorneys, told The Post on Tuesday.
Patel said he is trying to collect electronic evidence proving Baker was online and playing “Madden” when the alleged robbery took place, although that doesn’t rule out the possibility of someone else playing on his console at that time.
Baker and fellow NFL cornerback Quinton Dunbar of the Seattle Seahawks have each been charged with multiple accounts of armed robbery and aggravated assault for an incident that occurred on May 13. The Miramar Police took the unusual step of tagging each players’ NFL employer in a tweet about the incident. According to police, $12,000 in cash and about $60,000 in expensive watches were grabbed in the robbery.
Both players spent Saturday night in lockup in Broward County jail, but were released on bond after pleading not guilty to all charges on Sunday. Baker posted a bond of $200,000, while Dunbar’s was $100,000.
On Monday, Dunbar’s lawyer, Michael Grieco, told ESPN’s John Clayton, “[His client] didn’t participate in any robbery, anything along those lines, and I know he left,” Grieco said. “… I can tell you that he didn’t see anything when it came to what they’re alleging. I can’t speak to whether or not something happened inside the house. I can tell you Mr. Dunbar wasn’t there at the time, if it occurred at all, and he left.”
On Friday, Michael Grieco, Dunbar’s lawyer, told Deadspin he had a sworn affidavit signed by four victims and one witness that would exonerate his client. He claimed to read parts of the affidavit aloud, with one line reading:
“Mr. Dunbar did not directly or indirectly participate in any robbery, or assist in collecting any valuables, at the scene or elsewhere.”
Miramar Police spokeswoman Tania Rues told Deadspin, “We have taped, sworn statements under oath from four victims and one witness. No one has come in to make a new statement.”