New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar have each been placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. According to a report from NFL Network, the two players will be on paid leave pending the result of their legal case stemming from robbery charges.
According to a police report, Baker is alleged to have taken money and watches from attendees at a Miramar, Florida party while armed with a semi-automatic firearm. Dunbar allegedly assisted in taking the money and other belongings from the victims.
Baker and Dunbar originally turned themselves in to police back on May 16. Baker then pleaded not guilty to each of his eight charges and Dunbar pleaded not guilty to each of his four charges. The players are each out on bail, which was set at $200,000 for Baker and $100,000 for Dunbar.
The players' attorneys have maintained their clients' innocence. Dunbar's original attorneys withdrew from the case earlier this month, citing a need to "allow for continued advocacy of Mr. Dunbar's innocence without any collateral distractions."
Dunbar's former attorneys were accused of participating in a scheme to cover up their client's alleged crimes, but both they and Baker's attorney, Bradford Cohen, claimed that the reported scheme was instead a smear tactic and extortion attempt.
"Law enforcement, both local and federal, was advised from day one and beyond that the alleged 'victims' in this case were actively extorting Baker and Dunbar," Dunbar's former attorney, Michael Grieco told The Seattle Times. "These men fabricated a robbery story after waiting an hour to call police and then immediately began contacting the players demanding money. My office obtained accurate and truthful affidavits consistent with the independent witness and my client's account.
"These 'victims' are seasoned career criminals who have been arrested and/or convicted of crimes ranging from conspiracy to commit murder, to human trafficking, to filing a false police report. Mr. Dunbar took and passed a polygraph confirming that he did not participate or witness any robbery."
If and when the case is resolved, Baker and Dunbar may still be penalized under the league's personal conduct policy.
