NFL star DeAndre Baker was playing the Madden video game when a fight broke out at a Florida cookout and partygoers were robbed at gunpoint, according to his lawyer.
New York Giants cornerback DeAndrea, along with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, were subjects of an arrest warrant from the Miramar Police Department last week.
Baker, 22, allegedly brandished a firearm at several people during a party and instructed a masked assailant to take their jewelry and cash.
Patrick Patel, an attorney representing NFL star DeAndre Baker (pictured), said his client was playing a Madden video game when partygoers were allegedly
He pled not guilty to four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault. If convicted, Baker could receive 15 years for each of the armed robbery charges
Patrick Patel, one of Baker’s lawyers, told New York Post that it’s impossible that his client performed such egregious acts because he was playing Madden at the time.
‘Far from an individual who’s going somewhere with an alleged intent to rob somebody, an armed robbery, to go there and hook up his “Madden” game, play the game for over an hour and then leave it there and go home,’ said Patel.
Patel and Bradford Cohen, another attorney representing Baker, suggested that Baker has become a target due to his reputation and wealth as an NFL football player.
The Miramar Police Department released arrest warrants for DeAndre Baker (left) of the New York Giants and Quinton Dunbar (right) of the Seattle Seahawks
The arrest warrant alleged that Baker and Dunbar stole more than $12,000 in cash and costly designer watches. It also claims that Baker pointed a gun at someone and told a masked assailant to shoot a person walking into the party.
Butt Patel said that is incorrect and expects the case against Baker to be dropped soon.
According to Patel, Baker arrived to the party with his Madden console, two additional consoles and a charger.
He allegedly hooked the game up to.a big screen TV and played video games for up to an hour-and-a-half.
Baker left his game at the house, Patel said, adding that he hopes to get electronic proof that Baker logged on and played during the incident.
‘And this ruckus blows out in another room in this house,’ Patel said.
‘He doesn’t have anything to do with the ruckus. He didn’t even see it. The only thing he sees is out of the corner of his eye a table getting flipped over and everybody running, screaming and yelling. And he’s out. Thank God he bounced.’
Baker (pictured) did not gamble away $70,000 two days before the alleged incident at the party in Miramar, according to Patel
Pictured: DeAndre Baker’s arrest warrant that was released last week
Patel revealed he’s in the process of obtaining video evidence that can debunk the arrest warrant’s claim that Baker’s car was ‘pre-positioned’ for a smooth getaway.
The video reportedly shows Baker in the passenger seat of his vehicle while a friend acted as his designated driver.
The car is said to have waited behind several other cars going through a security checkpoint before leaving the apartment complex.
Patel said the time stamp when Baker’s vehicle left through the gate can prove that it took at least two hours for anyone at the party to call authorities.
‘You’re robbed at armed gunpoint and you’re gonna wait two hours to call the police?’ said Patel.
‘It’s a shame the kid’s life is ruined at this point in time and he’s got to fight his way out of this. But it just gets worse and worse and worse, this whole story. It’s disgusting.’
Patel admitted that Baker was betting on the outcome of the Madden game, but did not lose $70,000 while gambling as previously speculated.
Instead, Baker allegedly playing dice on the night in question.
Bank records show that Baker withdrew $1,500 in cash two days before the party, according to Patel.
![Patel: 'Unfortunately, [Baker's] the target man there. He’s the scapegoat. He’s the most famous, successful person at the party'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/05/20/06/28604014-8338817-image-a-45_1589952625726.jpg)
Patel: ‘Unfortunately, [Baker’s] the target man there. He’s the scapegoat. He’s the most famous, successful person at the party’
‘He absolutely, positively, 100 percent guarantees he didn’t gamble no $70,000, didn’t gamble at all with this group prior or during this whole issue,’ Patel told New York Post.
And while Baker does have a permit to carry a gun, he allegedly didn’t have it on his person the night of the cookout.
They want to completely dramatize this thing by saying he had a gun on him,’ said Patel.
‘Unfortunately, he’s the target man there. He’s the scapegoat. He’s the most famous, successful person at the party. So that’s the guy you’re going to finger because we can get the most money from him if we charge him.’
Additionally, Patel said he obtained three affidavits from three witnesses who are ‘upstanding citizens that have no stake in the game’ and claim Baker’s innocent.
NFL stars Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar are released from jail on $200k and $100k bond after turning themselves in yesterday on charges they ‘robbed Miami cookout party-goers at gunpoint’
NFL stars Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar have been released from a Florida jail following a bond hearing on Sunday.
New York Giants cornerback Baker, 22, had a warrant was issued for his arrest last week on charges he and Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar allegedly robbed Miami party-goers at gunpoint on Wednesday night.
The two men appeared before Broward County Judge Michael Davis on a Zoom call this morning, just 24 hours after they surrendered to themselves to the Miramar Police Department on Saturday. Baker has been asked to stay away from the Giants for now while he focuses on his legal issues, a source familiar with Giants’ thinking told the Daily Mail.
Seattle Seahawks corner Quinton Dunbar (left and right) leaves Broward County Jail on Sunday after he was granted bail
Giants cornerback Baker, 22, had a warrant was issued for his arrest last week on charges he and Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar allegedly robbed Miami party-goers at gunpoint on Wednesday night. Above, Dunbar leaving jail on Sunday
NFL stars Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar have been released from a Florida jail following a bond hearing on Sunday. Above, Dunbar leaving jail on Sunday
The state requested no bond for both defendants. However, Judge Davis set Baker’s bail at $200,000, or $25,000 for each of the four armed robbery charges and four aggravated assault counts against him.
Dunbar, meanwhile, had his bond set at $100,000 – $25,000 for each of his four charges of armed robbery.
Both of the men were issued standard pretrial release and therefore are not to be allowed to leave the state of Florida.
If they need to leave the state for work, however, the judge said that his ruling could be modified at a later date.
Baker and Dunbar have also been ordered not to contact any of the alleged victims and they must surrender any firearms within the next 48 hours.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, Baker’s attorney Patrick G. Patel confirmed his client’s release and said he is confident the subsequent investigation will prove Baker’s innocence.
‘We sincerely thank all law enforcement for their diligent efforts to uncover the truth herein and sincerely apologize for the distractions that this event has caused to Deandre’s team, teammates and the NFL community during this difficult time in everyone’s life,’ Patel said.
Dunbar, meanwhile, had his bond set at $100,000 – $25,000 for each of his four charges of armed robbery
New York Giants cornerback Baker, 22, (pictured) surrendered to the Miramar Police Department Saturday morning, as his attorney announced there was ‘video evidence’ proving his innocence
Warrants were issued Thursday for the arrest of Baker and Dunbar, 27, on four counts of armed robbery with a firearm, after multiple witnesses accused them of committing a ‘planned’ armed robbery at a party in the early hours of the morning.
Baker also faces an additional four counts of aggravated assault.
Baker’s attorney Bradley Cohen announced his client’s surrender and said he had a ‘trove’ of evidence that exonerates him in an Instagram post early Saturday.
‘We will be presenting the trove of evidence we have obtained over the past 3 days to the judge at the right time,’ Cohen wrote.
‘Seven affidavits exonerating my client and video evidence.’
He also urged people not to ‘rush to [judgment]’ over the allegations.
‘Police reports are just that, reports of what was told to them or said to them,’ Cohen wrote.
‘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 [judgment].’
Dunbar’s attorney has also claimed there is evidence that exonerates his client.
Attorney Michael Grieco told The Seattle Times Friday he had handed over sworn statements from five witnesses to the Broward County State Attorney’s Office that would clear Dunbar’s name.
Attorney Michael Grieco on Dubar’s case: ‘. What I care about is that my client, who has never been in trouble in his life, is being forced to surrender on a (expletive) case that no self-respecting prosecutor would ever file’
‘The affidavits are the exact opposite of what they told the police two days ago,’ said Grieco.
‘Either they lied in their affidavits today or they lied to the police. Maybe they will lie again and tell the police that the first statement was accurate. I don’t care. What I care about is that my client, who has never been in trouble in his life, is being forced to surrender on a (expletive) case that no self-respecting prosecutor would ever file. So if they know that they would never file it, why would they move forward on a warrant?’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Miramar Police Department for comment.
Tania Rues, public information officer for the Miramar Police Department, told The NY Post law enforcement hoped the suspects would turn themselves in.
‘Obviously we’re hoping just to simplify things that they turn themselves in within a reasonable amount of time,’ she said.
‘Yes, there are warrants out for their arrest and if they do not turn themselves in, this is just in general terms, if someone with a warrant for his arrest with these types of charges, if they don’t turn themselves in within a reasonable amount of time obviously there are other avenues we can take.’
The Miramar Police Department announced Thursday they were searching for the two NFL stars following the incident hours earlier.
The two Miami natives had been attending a cookout at a home near Miami on Wednesday night, playing cards and video games when a fight allegedly broke out.
In arrest warrants observed by DailyMail.com, witnesses say the fracas started when Baker flipped over a card table.
Baker is then said to have ‘whipped out a semi-automatic firearm’, and began directing three individuals, one of whom was Dunbar, to start robbing the guests at the gathering.
Arrest warrants for Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar are shown above
Baker also directed a masked assailant, identified as ‘Shy’ in police documents, to shoot an unidentified person that had just walked into the party as the robbery was taking place.
One victim told police he was ‘in fear for his life’ while Baker pointed the handgun at him, but nobody was shot during the incident and no injuries were reported.
The masked assailant took $800 and an $18,000 Rolex from one guest at Baker’s direction, and $7,000 and a $25,000 Hublot watch from another, the report states.
Baker then pointed a gun towards another guest and ordered him to ‘give him all his money’, which amounted to $600 cash and a ‘knock-off’ Richard Mille watch valued at $600.
Witnesses gave investigators conflicting reports about whether Dunbar was armed or not. Several said they saw him with a gun, though others claimed he was unarmed but they did hear him directing others to steal valuables.
Police said the four men then fled via the patio door of the home and split up into three vehicles: a Mercedes Benz, a Lamborghini and a BMW.
Witnesses said the vehicles were parked in such a way that would make it easy for them to leave quickly, leading detectives to believe the robbery was planned.
The incident took place just two days after Baker and Dunbar allegedly lost $70,000 gambling at another party, the arrest warrant says.
If found guilty of holding a semi-automatic weapon, Baker could face 60 years in prison – a minimum of 15 years for each of the four armed robbery charges.
Dunbar would face a minimum of 10 years of jail time if found guilty.
Witnesses gave investigators conflicting reports about whether Dunbar was armed or not. Several said they saw him with a gun, but others claimed he was unarmed though they did report hearing him directing others to steal valuables
After being taken with the 30th overall pick out of Georgia, Baker played in all 16 games for the Giants in 2019, starting 15 times and recording 61 tackles.
He has a base salary of $1.4 million for 2020, but that does not include incentives. Baker earned over $6 million as a rookie in salary and his signing bonus.
‘We are aware of the situation. We have been in contact with DeAndre,’ the Giants said in a statement. ‘We have no further comment at this time.’
Dunbar signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2015 and was traded to the Seahawks in March. He started 11 games last season, making 37 tackles and four interceptions.
‘We are aware of the situation involving Quinton Dunbar and still gathering information,’ the Seahawks said in a statement. ‘We will defer all further comment to league investigators and local authorities.’
Dunbar spent Thursday morning on a video conference with the Seattle media for the first time since being traded from Washington to the Seahawks in March.
‘You just want to feel wanted at the end of the day. … I just hope to repay them with the way I carry myself as a person,’ Dunbar said on the video conference.
He is slated to earn $3.4 million in 2020, according to Spotrac.com, but that is not fully guaranteed.