New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar turned themselves in to the Broward County Jail on Saturday to satisfy arrest warrants in connection to an alleged robbery in Miramar, Florida, last week.
Broward County Judge Michael Davis ruled Sunday that Dunbar be granted a $100,000 bond — $25,000 for each of the four armed robbery charges. Baker was granted a $200,000 bond — $25,000 each for four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.
They will be forced to relinquish their firearms and have no contact with the victims or guns. Both will be released Sunday if they post bond, as expected.
The state had asked for no bond for both men.
More details of the case were revealed in the court appearance, including that the alleged robbery occurred during an illegal dice gambling game at a Miramar house with 15 to 20 occupants in attendance. Prosecutors said they haven’t identified the man in the red mask who the state claims was getting orders by Dunbar or Baker to shoot at someone. There were no shots fired.
Dunbar’s lawyer, Michael Grieco, showed the judge five sworn affidavits that both sides confirmed came from the same parties (four victims and one witness) that the detectives spoke with. The prosecutor found it “suspect” that the witnesses recanted within 36 hours and that their affidavits were related directly to Dunbar.
Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, maintains that he has more affidavits, some that haven’t been presented to the state, for “a little strategic defense issue” in the event this case goes forward. A piece of the affidavit he did present from Dominick Johnson, a friend of both parties, was presented by the state.
“At some point there was an argument that arose between some of the parties that were playing the dice game,” it read. “I was never in fear for my life in any situation that happened that day and DeAndre Baker did not take any property from me and did not point a gun at anyone.”
It was mentioned throughout the proceedings that Baker and Dunbar have no prior criminal history.
Despite both attorneys saying they have affidavits clearing their clients, the Miramar Police Department insisted they both turn themselves in and welcomed witnesses to add or change anything to their statement if they wished to do so. As of Saturday morning, police said none of the victims or witnesses had recanted their stories to them.
“We believe our client is innocent of all charges,” Cohen said. “We urge people not to rush to judgment. We have affidavits from several witnesses that exonerate my client.”
Cohen confirmed that Baker turned himself in Saturday morning in an Instagram post, writing that he is a “believer in the system.”
Baker and Dunbar were wanted by police over an alleged incident that took place late Wednesday night at a party. According to the arrest warrant, Baker and Dunbar are accused of stealing money and watches with force while armed with semiautomatic firearms. It states that Baker intentionally threatened victims with a firearm.
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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says the governing body has put together a plan for the 2019-20 season to be completed in August, including the Champions League and Europa League tournaments.
The majority of European leagues have been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Germany’s Bundesliga restarted on Saturday in empty stadiums and with strict protocols in place, while several other leagues have announced plans to resume competition.
“We have an idea but we have to wait for the executive committee of UEFA to confirm the dates. I can say that the European season will be finished, if everything is as it is now, in August,” Ceferin told BeIN Sports, according to The Guardian.
Under tentative plans, domestic leagues that have not been canceled – like those in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands – will aim for completion prior to the resumption of the two major continental competitions. Sporting merit will determine spots in next year’s European tournaments for leagues that have been canceled, according to Ceferin.
“As things look now, I’m sure that we can finish the European season and this means UEFA competition. I think the majority of leagues will finish the season. The ones who will not, it’s their decision,” Ceferin added. “But they will still have to play qualifiers if they want to participate in the European UEFA competition.”
Following the cancelation of the Ligue 1 campaign amid a ban on public gatherings in France, Paris Saint-Germain’s and Lyon’s Champions League campaigns were left in limbo.
“If you cannot play in your country, then you have to organize it at a neutral ground. I don’t see the reason why French authorities would not allow them to organize a match without spectators, but let’s see. It’s out of my power,” Ceferin said.
He also discussed the status of the 2020 European Championships after the tournament was moved to summer 2021 to prioritize the completion of domestic leagues. Initially slated to be held across 12 cities for the first time, Ceferin says the number of venues may be reduced in light of the global pandemic.
“We’ve had conversations with nine cities and everything is set,” Ceferin said. “With three cities, we have some issues. So we will discuss further. In principle, we will do it in 12 cities but if not, we are ready to do it in 10, nine, or eight.”