DeAndre Baker Not Involved in Attempted  Cover-up, Lawyer Claims

Baker's attorneys dispute the explosive report by the Daily News suggesting that Baker may have been part of a cover-up to pay off witnesses in the case.
DeAndre Baker Not Involved in Attempted  Cover-up, Lawyer Claims
DeAndre Baker Not Involved in Attempted  Cover-up, Lawyer Claims /

Less than 24 hours after an explosive report claimed that witnesses in the armed robbery and aggravated assault case brought against Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker were set to be paid off as part of a cover-up, one of the attorneys for Baker has sought to set the record straight.

"Any texts from [Baker] to these extortionists were made to keep them on the hook, as we informed authorities of this extortion the minute money was demanded," attorney Bradford Cohen told TMZ Sports.

Cohen also told TMZ Sports that Baker took and passed a lie detector test administered by a "nationally recognized examiner."

Baker is facing four counts each of armed robbery and aggravated assault stemming from a May 13 incident at a Miramar, Florida house party in which he was alleged to have wielded a semi-automatic weapon in the robbery of cash and designer watches from victims.

Seattle cornerback Quinton Dunbar, who was also at the social gathering, was also accused of having involvement in the alleged robbery. He had been charged with four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.

Both Baker and Dunbar turned themselves into law enforcement officials days after the arrest warrants were issued. Baker was released on $200,000 bond, $25,000 for each count against him, and was ordered to surrender any firearms he had in his possession.

He was also initially ordered not to leave Florida, though later that order was revised to allow for Baker to leave the state for work-related purposes with the stipulation that he provided a complete and detailed itinerary of his travel plans to the court.

ESPN reported that the Florida state attorney's office has not yet decided whether to pursue a trial for each player.


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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.