Police Report on 2011 Incident Involving Dez Bryant Surfaces

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant finds himself in the news once more, this time concerning a police report from 2011. The exact details of what occurred were never discovered.

Continue for updates. 

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Wal-Mart Denies Tape Exists

Friday, March 6

Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal reported that Wal-Mart denies that tape of the Bryant incident exists: 

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For AM Crowd: If there is a Dez Bryant video, Wal-Mart told me yesterday it doesn't have it and never did. Spoke to Wal-Mart about the much reported, over the last 2 weeks, altercation on July 11, 2011 in which the police responded to a 6 AM call saying a woman had been dragged out of a car in a Lancaster, Texas Wal- Mart parking lot. The police report, just made public last week, said the car is registered to Bryant, and he arrived shortly after the police, with the woman. The woman said she had an argument with a man other than Bryant and no charges ensued, according to the police report.

[...]

Wal-Mart director of national media relations, Brian Nick, said because no charges had been filed, the company would not have pulled the security footage at the time and created a videotape of the incident.

No crime had occurred, he said, so the Lancaster Police did not request the footage from the company’s security system.

And it would be too late now to do so, he added. The company’s security protocol eliminates footage after a certain period of time, he said, and that time has passed.

This doesn't preclude the existence of a video tape, just that Wal-Mart's official statement is no videotape is or has been in the possession of the shopping giant.

"

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NFL Reportedly Investigating Bryant Wal-Mart Incident

Saturday, Feb. 28

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported that the league has begun an investigation into Bryant's incident at Wal-Mart: 

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Bryant's Camp Believes Cowboys Using Video Rumors to Drive Down Price

Friday, Feb. 27

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported that Bryant's camp feels the Cowboys are using the rumored video to drive down his asking price:

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Police Report Details 2011 Incident Involving Bryant

Thursday, Feb. 26 

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says this marks at least the seventh instance where police were called to a situation involving Bryant. He continued, "they [the incidents] are emblematic of why the Cowboys are concerned about Bryant's behavior and some of the people he has associated with." However, none of the incidents resulted in arrests.

The latest was in regard to what was described as an "unknown disturbance" in a Walmart parking lot.

Rapoport passed along the incident report filed by the City of Lancaster Police Department in Texas. It states an individual called police after seeing a female being dragged from a vehicle that was later discovered to be registered to Bryant.

A Yale security guard at the store told police he arrived to find the empty car described by the caller in the parking lot. He said another vehicle, which was also registered to Bryant, arrived a short time later with two males inside.

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

They said they were called by Ilyne Nash, Bryant's girlfriend, who asked them to pick up her car. Bryant and Nash then came to the scene in a separate vehicle. She said an argument occurred between her and a separate male acquaintance, listed as Alex Penson, before she went to a friend's home and was picked up by Bryant.

She told police there were no injuries as a result of the situation. Police determined no crime was committed and allowed everybody to leave the scene, according to the report.

The incident has been the subject of much discussion in NFL circles in recent days. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported there may be video footage:

However, no video has been released. Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jason Cole reported that sources close to Bryant believe the rumored video does exist:

Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan reported that the Cowboys are aware of the incident because Bryant had informed them of it. Fisher later provided details from ex-DA Watkins

Florio reported the Cowboys had no comment on the police report. Fisher later provided details from Craig Watkins, the former Dallas County district attorney: 

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Because there was no arrest and no complainant, the incident never comes to the District Attorney’s office,’’ said Watkins, now in private practice as an attorney in Dallas. “I never saw a video tape and I have serious doubts that one exists.

[...]

Lancaster PD interviewed the Cowboys’ All-Pro receiver and in their report wrote, “It was determined that there was no offense” and “all parties were advised they were free to go.”

Said Watkins: “The police did their investigation and the situation never moved on after that.’’

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Bryant has spent the past five seasons with the Cowboys after being drafted 24th overall out of Oklahoma State in 2010. He's tallied 381 catches for 5,424 yards and 56 touchdowns in 75 games.

He's a potential free agent, but Rapoport notes the franchise tag is virtually certain if a new deal can't be worked out. He reports no further negotiations for a long-term contract are scheduled at this time.

Fisher also reported that the incident won't prevent the Cowboys offering Bryant a long-term contract, and that the team has already offered such a deal.