Lawyer for Seahawks’ Dunbar says they have letters from victims proving his innocence

The wild saga of new Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar’s alleged role in a Florida robbery took another turn Friday afternoon, when it was reported that he and his lawyer have written statements from multiple victims of an alleged armed robbery, proving that he in fact had nothing to do with the crime. Dunbar, 27, has been accused of four charges of armed robbery with a handgun and has a warrant for his arrest by the Miramar Police Department.

Related: Warrant issued for Dunbar in Florida, but lawyer claims proof of innocence

According to the Miami Herald, Michael Grieco, Dunbar’s defense lawyer, said that five witnesses have written statements that Dunbar was not involved in the alleged robbery. Grieco told the paper that he gave the affidavits from the five witnesses to the Broward State Attorney’s Office, but law enforcement still wants Dunbar to turn himself in. Dunbar and Baker have yet to turn themselves in as of Friday afternoon.

Bob Condotta, who covers the Seahawks for the Seattle Times, said on Twitter that Grieco told him the affidavits he received from the alleged victims who are mentioned in the police report are “the exact opposite” of what’s mentioned in the police report on the alleged crime.

Quinton Dunbar's lawyer, Michael Grieco, confirms to the Seattle Times he has sworn affidavits from the five witnesses mentioned in the police report stating "the exact opposite'' of what is in the reports about Dunbar's involvement.

— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) May 15, 2020

Grieco also told Miami-based Fox Sports radio host Andy Slater that Miramar Police have handled the situation poorly.

JUST IN: Seahawks CB Quinton Dunbar, accused of armed robbery, has letters from the alleged victims saying he was not involved.

“I can’t believe Miramar PD did a virtual touchdown dance without investigating further,” his attorney Michael Grieco tells me.

— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) May 15, 2020

In the Miami Herald story, Grieco said he is upset with how the department handled the situation on social media.

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

When the Miramar Police Department posted on Twitter about the warrants for Baker and Dunbar’s arrests, they tagged both the Seahawks’ and Giants’ official Twitter accounts.

(1/2) A warrant to arrest has been issued for Deandre Baker, of the @Giants (four counts of Armed Robbery with a Firearm and four counts of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm.) Quinton Dunbar of the @Seahawks also has a warrant to arrest for four counts of Armed Robbery with a pic.twitter.com/vDDWMjYDaO

— Miramar Police (@MiramarPD) May 14, 2020

(2/2) Firearm. Charges stem from an incident that occurred on May 13, 2020 in Miramar. A copy of the warrant and affidavit can be located at: https://t.co/uG5qWq97rX pic.twitter.com/fDm1YkOuTR

— Miramar Police (@MiramarPD) May 14, 2020

Slater joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s Tom, Jake and Stacy Friday afternoon to talk more about the case, as he has had direct contact with Grieco.

Slater said he’d talked to Grieco Thursday night, and that the attorney didn’t have any information, but Friday afternoon he told Slater that they had the letters from witnesses saying that Dunbar wasn’t involved in the alleged criminal activity.

“It’s not necessarily saying he wasn’t there (at the cookout), it’s just saying that he was not involved in the incident,” Slater said.

Slater also told 710 that Grieco tried to “settle this” with law enforcement without Dunbar having to turn himself in to police custody.

“He said, ‘Look, I have these letters. My client was not involved. The alleged victims … say he wasn’t involved, so can you take this back? I don’t want to have to have Dunbar turn himself in’ and I think what really ticked him off was Miramar PD and the state’s attorney’s office were like ‘no, he still has to come turn himself in,'” Slater said, adding that those conversations happened Friday, a day after the warrant was issued.

Slater says the warrant could be rescinded, but as it’s active and Dunbar hasn’t turned himself in, something to be considered is that it’s Friday. Because of that, Dunbar and Baker, if they turned themselves in, may have to spend the whole weekend in jail.

“That’s also something to keep in mind if they don’t take that warrant back,” Slater said.

Listen to Slater’s full discussion on the matter in the below player starting at the 19:50 mark.

Amid the public comments from Grieco making media waves across the country, Tania Rues, Maramar Police’s pubic information officer, said, in part, “the affidavit speaks for itself” and that the victims of the alleged incident haven’t provided police with information asserting Dunbar’s non-involvement. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News posted Rues’ statement on Twitter, seen below.

Response from Tania Rues, @MiramarPD public information officer: "We have taped statements, sworn statements from each of the victims that were interviewed separately (four victims, one witness). The affidavit speaks for itself. If the victims have a different story to tell … https://t.co/85MqJW2KKz

— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) May 15, 2020

"… they have not come to the Miramar police department and given any revised or different statements. If the victims have a different story to tell, they have not come to the police department to give it." – 30 –

— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) May 15, 2020

The Seahawks have made just one public comment regarding Dunbar’s warrant, and that came Thursday evening where they deferred comments to NFL investigators as well as law enforcement officials.

Statement from a @Seahawks Spokesperson:

We are aware of the situation involving Quinton Dunbar and still gathering information. We will defer all further comment to league investigators and local authorities.

— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) May 15, 2020

The alleged incident

Just hours after finishing up a virtual interview with members of the Seattle media Thursday morning, TMZ Sports reported that Dunbar and New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker had warrants for their arrest for an armed robbery that occurred Wednesday evening. Dunbar has been accused of four charges of armed robbery with a handgun while Baker is accused of four charges of armed robbery with a handgun as well as four counts of aggravated assault with a handgun.

According to the TMZ Sports report, the alleged incident occurred at a cookout in the Miami area on Wednesday night with Baker pulling out a semi-automatic firearm and Dunbar “assisted in taking watches and other valuables at the direction of Baker.”

Dunbar, Baker and a third man allegedly left the cookout with roughly $7,000 in cash as well as three valuable watches. The police report states that the third man was directed by Baker to shoot someone at the cookout, but there apparently were no shots fired. The full police statement can be found here.

According to the police report, one of the alleged victims told police that he had met Dunbar and Baker roughly earlier this week at a party in Miami where the two players had lost about $70,000 card games and gambling.

One question regarding the alleged incident is not only Dunbar’s involvement, but whether or not he had a firearm. According to TMZ, there are conflicting reports. The police report says at least one saw Dunbar with a firearm, while another says they didn’t see Dunbar with a firearm, but “did see and hear him directing others to take valuables.” Another witness says they didn’t see a firearm in Dunbar’s possession.

TMZ also reports that the alleged robbery was thought by police to be planned because there were three cars – a BMW, Lamborghini and a Mercedes-Benz – “strategically positioned” to “expedite and immediate departure.”

Who is Quinton Dunbar?

Dunbar is one of the newest members of the Seahawks, having been acquired this offseason.

The 27-year-old cornerback was a college receiver who converted to cornerback with the Washington Redskins. Seattle traded a fifth-round pick for Dunbar earlier this offseason.

Dunbar was the second-rated cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus in 2019 and was expected to start at right cornerback over two-year starter Tre Flowers.

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