New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker has turned himself in to police on charges of armed robbery, but a lawyer representing Baker released a statement asking people not to “rush to judgment” in the case and said there was information that would clear his client.
Lawyer Bradford Cohen confirmed in an Instagram post on Saturday that Baker had turned himself in to police after facing a series of charges related to an alleged armed robbery outside Miami earlier in the week. Cohen wrote in his post that the case will now be examined by the court, cautioning people against looking too much into the initial allegations.
“Police reports are just that, reports of what was told to them or said to them,” Cohen wrote in the statement on behalf of Baker . “Court is what we use to then examine those reports, investigate those claims and allow the Defendant an opportunity to confront the evidence. Don’t rush to judgement.”
As TMZ Sports reported on Thursday, police in Miramar, Florida, issued an arrest warrant for both Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar. Police said that the two were at a cookout that included high-stakes gambling when an argument broke out. Baker pulled out a semi-automatic firearm and robbed party guests, police said. Baker requested Dunbar’s help in taking watches and other expensive items from the others there, police said.
Both Baker and Dunbar are from the Miami area, close to where the alleged robbery took place.
As ESPN reported, Miramar police issued an arrest warrant for Baker on four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. An arrest warrant for Dunbar was also issued for four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
The report added that attorneys for both Dunbar and Baker said they had sworn affidavits from witnesses showing that both men were innocent of the charges. Michael Grieco, an attorney representing Dunbar, told ESPN of a “star witness recanting within 48 hours” of the charges being filed, though the Miramar Police Department disputed the claim. Cohen added that he had accounts from several witnesses who would dispute the claim of the armed robbery and clear the Seahawks cornerback.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuQQriJ4Fo
But the Miramar Police Department disputed that claim.
“We have taped, sworn statements from four victims and one witness. If they are changing their statements, we welcome them to come into our police department and give us a new statement,” Miramar Police spokeswoman Tania Rues told ESPN.