The case against Deandre Baker is too crazy to be on "Law & Order."
Baker, the former Giants first-round pick, had all charges stemming from an alleged armed robbery dropped on Monday, after the lawyer of three of the four victims in the armed robbery case was arrested in Broward County, Fla. The attorney is facing an extortion charge.
Per the New York Daily News' Pat Leonard, William Dean, the attorney, told Baker's attorney that the victims wanted $266,000 and, in exchange, would either change their sworn statements made to police or would refuse to cooperate with prosecutors in the case, thus weakening the case against Baker.
BREAKING: William Dean, attorney for three of DeAndre Baker's four alleged victims, has been arrested in Broward County (Fla.) and is facing an "extortion charge" connected to the armed robbery case involving Baker and Quinton Dunbar. pic.twitter.com/VGTvh6KgpE
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) November 16, 2020
Dunbar, still an active member of the Seahawks, had all charges dropped against him in August, while Baker faced four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
Vics would either stop cooperating with prosecutors in the case or change their initial sworn statements to police, thereby weakening the case against Baker. Evidence reveals Dean told Baker’s attorney his clients would do “anything you want, so long as the money is right.”
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) November 16, 2020
The Giants cut Baker in early September with the case then moving forward.
Spoke with Bradford Cohen, lawyer for ex-#Giants CB Deandre Baker: "I’ve been saying this from Day 1, that this was an extortion scheme and that Deandre was the victim. This event did not play out as they insinuated. And the case was dismissed."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 16, 2020
The alleged incident occurred in May, when victims alleged that Baker and Dunbar forcefully stole watches and money from them at a house party. Dunbar was not charged, with the prosecutor citing insufficient evidence.
Baker, 23, is a free agent.
