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Lawyers: Witnesses say Baker, Dunbar didn’t commit robbery

Field Level Media

May 16, 2020 at 3:14 am.

Lawyers for Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar said Friday that witnesses signed affidavits maintaining that the two NFL players took no part in an alleged armed robbery on Wednesday night in Miramar, Fla.

Arrest warrants were issued Thursday for Dunbar, a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, and Baker, a cornerback for the New York Giants. Baker, 22, faces four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. Dunbar, 27, faces four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.

However, Michael Grieco, Dunbar’s attorney, and Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, maintain the players’ innocence, citing statements both say they have received from people on the scene.

“I want to thank @miramarpd for being professional in regards to surrendering and issues with the case,” Cohen wrote in a post on Instagram. “We understand that the officers can only base warrants on what was told to them at the time. We have had affidavits from several witnesses that also dispute the allegations and exculpate our client. … We would have rather presented them to the court at the proper time, rather than in the media, but in this day and age, people rush to judgment.

“I look forward to moving this case forward to proper conclusion, as we believe our client is innocent of any charges.”

Grieco told multiple media outlets that even his office received the statements from “star witnesses recanting within 48 hours” what they had told Miramar police, the police were still requiring Dunbar to turn himself in on the charges.

“I have never in my career seen a police department so excited about arresting a celebrity,” the lawyer said.

Miramar Police spokeswoman Tania Rues disputed that claim while speaking with the Miami Herald. She said that four alleged victims and one witness identified Dunbar under oath.

“If any of them have changed their stories, we would welcome them to come back to the Miramar police station for a new statement,” Rues told the Herald.

She added that the police department didn’t do anything out of the ordinary in the case because celebrities were involved.

Grieco said that Baker and Dunbar, both born in South Florida, are not close.

The Seahawks, Giants and the NFL issued statements Thursday acknowledging awareness of the case while providing no further details.

Dunbar was acquired by the Seahawks from the Redskins in March in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick. He entered the NFL with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2015. In 58 career games (25 starts), Dunbar has 150 tackles (three for loss), a sack, nine interceptions and 35 pass breakups. Last season, he recorded a career-high four interceptions in 11 games.

Baker, 22, was drafted by the Giants in the first round (30th overall) out of Georgia in 2019. He had 61 tackles, two tackles for loss and eight pass defenses in 16 games (15 starts) as a rookie.

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