Alfonzo Dennard Trial

[cavtroop]

Hey, look! Another thread ruined by petty arguing and egotists. This forum has become a giant argument...

 

[PATSNUTme]

Hey, look! Another thread ruined by petty arguing and egotists. This forum has become a giant argument...

2 won't be doing that on this thread anymore. There could be others.

 

[PatsDeb]

Hey, look! Another thread ruined by petty arguing and egotists. This forum has become a giant argument...

You said it! I keep checking to see the outcome of the trial. Not interested in anything else. Don't despair about the board becoming an argument. It's the offseason so there isn't much to talk about. Do what I do and just skim the headlines and see how Nab's daughter Nadya is doing every day. You'll be a lot happier!

 

[Jimke]

Today's (2-15-2013) Lincoln Journal Star Report on the Dennard trial:

Alleged victim testifies Dennard 'shouldered' him : News-crime

Mixed bag here - if his attorney is any good, Dennard might get off with a slap on the wrist.

The alleged victim quoted is not the main problem for Dennard. The
officer involved is demanding satisfaction for being punched.

 

[Deus Irae]

The alleged victim quoted is not the main problem for Dennard. The
officer involved is demanding satisfaction for being punched.

When the stories of prosecution witnesses contradict each other, and prosecution witnesses stories change even while on the stand, defense attorneys start salivating.

If what's in that link you posted is a true and accurate account of the testimony, Dennard's attorney(s) is/are drooling all over the place.

 

[goheels22002]

When the stories of prosecution witnesses contradict each other, and prosecution witnesses stories change even while on the stand, defense attorneys start salivating.

If what's in that link you posted is a true and accurate account of the testimony, Dennard's attorney(s) is/are drooling all over the place.

I agree. The police are saying one thing and the witnesses are saying another about whether Dennard actually landed a punch. Reasonable doubt is creeping into the testimony. I wouldn't be surprised if this thing gets pled out to a disorderly misdemeanor with a fine and maybe some community service.

I have a recommendation: sentence him to 16 weeks community service preventing receivers from catching footballs.

 

[BradyFTW!]

When the stories of prosecution witnesses contradict each other, and prosecution witnesses stories change even while on the stand, defense attorneys start salivating.

If what's in that link you posted is a true and accurate account of the testimony, Dennard's attorney(s) is/are drooling all over the place.

This part caught my eye:

He later amended that to say he had a slight pain that didn't last more than a few seconds, but no injury to his chest or shoulder.

Immediately after, Samani said, he got blindsided from behind by someone else. It left him with a bloody mouth and three of his front teeth pushed back.

When he looked again, he said, he saw Dennard walking away and Lincoln Police Officer Ben Kopsa approaching him from behind, yelling, "Hey!"

Kopsa said he told Dennard, as they stood face to face, that he was under arrest and to put his hands behind his back after the incident between Dennard and Samani.

Does that mean that Samani testified that someone else (ie: not Dennard) blindsided him? And that he then saw Dennard walking away (ie: he was unable to know it was an officer accosting him, since he was looking in the other direction)? And that said cop never identified himself as a police officer as he confronted Dennard from behind? Furthermore, isn't Samani saying implicitly that Kopsa's account of the facts is wrong, which means that he simply lied?

If so, then yeah, the defense attorney must be loving this. When the prosecution's witnesses start backing up the defendant's story, and cast the victim is a liar in the courtroom, that's a slam dunk in your favor.

In any case, the defense starts calling witnesses today, so the picture could become a lot clearer shortly. Frankly, though, if there's this much uncertainty involved after the prosecution has presented its case and before the defense has even had a chance to, then it becomes pretty hard to imagine Dennard being found guilty on the felony charge. The jury would have to be pretty asleep at the wheel for that to happen.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

Let's face it. If this was anybody else this would already have been pleaded out. The prosecution's 10 minutes of fame is in play here. This is the problem I have with the lack of justice system; participants playing the game for personal gain. Career criminals have easier days in court than this guy is getting and people wonder why the justice system gets trashed so often?

 

[PATSNUTme]

FYI, the process of removing someone from a thread does not work for the mobile tapatalk , which is why you are seeing this post...... I'm just letting you know

There are other options.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I agree. The police are saying one thing and the witnesses are saying another about whether Dennard actually landed a punch. Reasonable doubt is creeping into the testimony. I wouldn't be surprised if this thing gets pled out to a disorderly misdemeanor with a fine and maybe some community service.

I have a recommendation: sentence him to 16 weeks community service preventing receivers from catching footballs.

C'mon, you have to drop the hammer a little. Make it 20+ weeks.

 

[Jimke]

Let's face it. If this was anybody else this would already have been pleaded out. The prosecution's 10 minutes of fame is in play here. This is the problem I have with the lack of justice system; participants playing the game for personal gain. Career criminals have easier days in court than this guy is getting and people wonder why the justice system gets trashed so often?

I just hope that any punishment fits the crime. No one was seriously injured
and this was a first offense. The police officer's ego may have been injured but not his body. He suffered no broken or loosened teeth.

This should not carry the maximum punishment of prison or serious jail time.
Perhaps a moderate fine and/or community service.

 

[BrickPat]

Let's face it. If this was anybody else this would already have been pleaded out. The prosecution's 10 minutes of fame is in play here. This is the problem I have with the lack of justice system; participants playing the game for personal gain. Career criminals have easier days in court than this guy is getting and people wonder why the justice system gets trashed so often?

It's also possibe that Dennard feels he did nothing wrong and refused an offer to plea to a lesser included.

 

[MTM558]

It looks as if Dennard is trying to bring in his old coach to speak on his behalf.

Lori Pilger ‏@LJSpilger
Dennard's attorney looking into calling Coach Bo Pelini. But it looks like it wouldn't happen until Tuesday.

This will likely drag the trial out a little longer, but it certainly can't hurt his case to have someone speak for how much of a "good kid" Dennard is and try to convince the jury that this is a one time incident.

In recent NFL Legal News, Koa Misi managed to have his charges downgraded to simple misdemeanors. Hopefully Dennard can get off the same way. However, the difference between Dennard and Misi is that Misi pleaded no contest. Dennard pleaded Not Guilty, if I'm correct.

Koa Misi sentenced in 2011 battery case | ProFootballTalk

 

[PatsDeb]

It looks as if Dennard is trying to bring in his old coach to speak on his behalf.



This will likely drag the trial out a little longer, but it certainly can't hurt his case to have someone speak for how much of a "good kid" Dennard is and try to convince the jury that this is a one time incident.

In recent NFL Legal News, Koa Misi managed to have his charges downgraded to simple misdemeanors. Hopefully Dennard can get off the same way. However, the difference between Dennard and Misi is that Misi pleaded no contest. Dennard pleaded Not Guilty, if I'm correct.

Koa Misi sentenced in 2011 battery case | ProFootballTalk

Usually you change your plea from "not guilty" to "no contest" when you have a deal worked out. I can't bear to read through the whole thread, but someone in the case is being unreasonable or these things get worked out. The question is, is it Denard, the cop or the prosecutor? Hard to know which it is.

 

[supafly]

This should not carry the maximum punishment of prison or serious jail time.
Perhaps a moderate fine and/or community service.

Perhaps something in the middle of the two?

 

[Get it shawtaay]

Usually you change your plea from "not guilty" to "no contest" when you have a deal worked out. I can't bear to read through the whole thread, but someone in the case is being unreasonable or these things get worked out. The question is, is it Denard, the cop or the prosecutor? Hard to know which it is.

If it turns out Dennard is the one being unreasonable, I am going to be extremely disappointed in the Patriots organization. He is a football player (not the smartest people to begin with) and has with no prior experience with the legal system. He should be receiving top-notch professional legal counsel, not making rookie mistakes off the field. Anything less than preparing him to succeed shows negligence on the behalf of the organization to protect their investments.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

If it turns out Dennard is the one being unreasonable, I am going to be extremely disappointed in the Patriots organization. He is a football player (not the smartest people to begin with) and has with no prior experience with the legal system. He should be receiving top-notch professional legal counsel, not making rookie mistakes off the field. Anything less than preparing him to succeed shows negligence on the behalf of the organization to protect their investments.

While I share your opinion that the Patriots should try diligently to ensure their investment has the best legal advice, we need to remember that it is also possible that an adult regardless of being an employee is free to make his own life decisions. He could be very stubborn.

All said, we have way too little information to regard our opinions as other than complete speculation.

 

[jbb9s]

If it turns out Dennard is the one being unreasonable, I am going to be extremely disappointed in the Patriots organization. He is a football player (not the smartest people to begin with) and has with no prior experience with the legal system. He should be receiving top-notch professional legal counsel, not making rookie mistakes off the field. Anything less than preparing him to succeed shows negligence on the behalf of the organization to protect their investments.

You are way off base here. Beyond someone in the Pats brass offering to refer Dennard to the best criminal attorney they know, the Pats should really have no invovlement in the case nor should they advise him of how he is to handle his PERSONAL legal matters.

If he goes to jail, he is in breach of his contract with the Patriots and they can void it or whatever other options may be contractually memorialized.

You have employers telling individuals how to handle their business, you have a terrible idea.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

You are way off base here. Beyond someone in the Pats brass offering to refer Dennard to the best criminal attorney they know, the Pats should really have no invovlement in the case nor should they advise him of how he is to handle his PERSONAL legal matters.

If he goes to jail, he is in breach of his contract with the Patriots and they can void it or whatever other options may be contractually memorialized.

You have employers telling individuals how to handle their business, you have a terrible idea.

They can recover the money they owe Dennard if he goes to jail, but they lose a significantly cost controlled asset. The going rate at which a player of his caliber and youth is replaced is 4-5 million dollars per year. Its a high stakes situation in terms of roster building and should be treated as such.

As for telling individuals how to handle their business, part of an individual effectively handling their business is knowing when to defer to people who actually know what they are talking about. I don't try and fix my computer because I'm not an electrical engineer. Dennard should be connected with people who know what they're doing by the organization, and if he refuses their counsel it is his (and New England's) loss.

 

[eom]

you have to be an electrical engineer to fix your computer?