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Deandre Baker Suing Quinton Dunbar's Lawyer for Libel, Slander over Tweets
May 21, 2020
Patrick Patel, an attorney for New York Giants cornerback Deandre Baker, said his client is planning to file a lawsuit against Michael Grieco, an attorney for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, because of a Twitter post relating to an alleged armed robbery last week in which both men have been charged.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported the news Wednesday.
Grieco posted a text message he said provided evidence Dunbar wasn't involved in the crime:
Michael Grieco @Mike_Grieco1/2 If, according to the accusers, our client Quinton Dunbar lost a bunch of money earlier in the week at some gambling party (suggesting he had motive)..why did the organizer text Dunbar about not knowing about the prior party and what went down? Answer: because he wasn’t there. https://t.co/X5em5EmQRB
"Baker is going to immediately file a lawsuit against Grieco for libel and slander—making everybody believe that Baker is in that picture because his name is in the text," Patel told Schwartz.
The police report filed after the alleged robbery on May 13 in Miramar, Florida, stated witnesses told police Baker brandished a firearm while instructing two other people, including Dunbar, to take "money and valuables" from people attending a house party.
One of the witnesses told police he'd met the NFL players at a different gathering a few days earlier and saw them lose "about $70,000."
"The text is complete bulls--t," Patel told Schwartz. "Read the text. You can say anybody is that person. Wasn't it everybody's bulls--t at the beginning that my client, Baker, lost $70,000? Now go read the text. The text is saying Baker won $10,000. So what are we doing?"
TMZ Sports reported Tuesday investigators haven't been able to obtain video of the alleged robbery, which police said resulted in $72,000 in stolen cash and watches.
Patel told Schwartz his client was playing Madden at the party when he heard a "ruckus" in another room and decided to leave.
"DeAndre has no knowledge of anybody in those texts, who sent it, to who," he said. "Let the guy come forward. I cannot wait to get Grieco on the stand and cross-examine him on how he got that text, who he got the text from."
Patel added there are no issues between Baker and Dunbar, who remain friends.
Both NFL players reported to police Saturday in response to an arrest warrant and were released on bond. They've each pleaded not guilty to all charges filed against them.
The Florida State Attorney's Office will decide whether to take the cases to trial.