The Broward State Attorney’s Office has decided to drop the armed robbery charges against Seattle Seahawks cornerback, 28-year-old Quinton Dunbar. However, they have announced that they will prosecute New York Giants cornerback, 22-year-old Deandre Baker.
“We’re absolutely delighted that the Broward State Attorney’s Office came to the same conclusion we did: that Quinton Dunbar should never have been arrested,” defense lawyer Andrew Rier said following the decision. “We wish Mr. Dunbar the best of luck.”
Prosecutors in the case announced on Friday almost three months after South Florida natives Dunbar and Baker were apprehended on suspicion that they held people at gunpoint during a Miramar, Florida house party, stealing jewelry and money from them. Detectives believe that the robbery was retaliation for $70,000 in gambling losses from another party the night prior.
However, authorities have seemed to change their tune a bit. In a press release on Friday, the Broward State Attorney’s Office said that Dunbar won’t face charges “due to insufficient evidence.” Baker is now being formally charged with four counts of robbery with a firearm.
Both NFL players have been free on bond since their May arrest while Broward prosecutors contemplated on whether or not charges were to be filed.
Baker’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, called the arrest “disgusting,” saying that “To charge a young man based on admitted liars testimony is why we need a change in Broward from the old guard.”
Dunbar’s lawyers have slammed the alleged victims as criminals who were looking to extort the football players, claiming that they’d demanded $50,000 to keep quiet, threatening to leak the story to TMZ if they did not receive the funds.
Earlier this month, the case took an eyebrow-raising turn when it was revealed that four victims confessed to police that they were paid $55,000 just two days after the incident, allegedly at the downtown Miami office of Dunbar’s then-attorney, Michael Grieco. An investigation followed, looking at whether the alleged payoffs, orchestrated by a man named Dominic “Coach” Johnson, could be equated to witness tampering. The Florida Bar is also investigating whether or not Grieco’s role in the supposed payoffs violated any ethical rules.
Due to the arrests, both Dunbar and Baker had been placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, banning them from practicing or participating in any games.
