New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker will be prosecuted in Florida on four counts of robbery with a firearm, Broward State Attorney Mike Satz announced Friday. If convicted, Baker faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in state prison.
Baker originally was charged with four counts of armed robbery and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. The decision to prosecute came almost three months after an incident in Miramar, Florida.
According to the original arrest warrant, Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar were accused of stealing money and watches while armed with semiautomatic firearms. The warrant stated that Baker intentionally threatened victims with a firearm.
Baker’s lawyer Bradford Cohen didn’t think the prosecutor’s office had enough to go through with the case.
Knowing that you have admitted liars — admitted liars, there is no way to cut around it or change the story. They are, at best, admitted liars and convicted felons. You have four guys that are convicted felons and admitted liars. You filed based on their word against a guy that has no criminal history, always gives back to his community, Cohen told ESPN. I wish I could think what they’re thinking but it’s an impossibility. It’s such bad judgment that you can’t even put yourself into their shoes to imagine what he was thinking to file this case.
Broward prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Dunbar because of insufficient evidence.
Quinton is gratified, Dunbar’s attorney, Andrew Rier told ESPN on Friday. He thanks God. He thanks his family. He thanks his defense team and he thanks the Seahawks for sticking with him the whole time.
I think [the decision] speaks for itself, Rier added. I think they did not have enough information to proceed, and they came to the just conclusion, and I appreciate the time and effort that they put into it to come to this conclusion.
Dunbar could still face a suspension based on recent NFL precedent. The league suspended Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed six games last year over a 2017 incident in which he was not arrested or charged due to insufficient evidence.
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