UGA football news: Deandre Baker saga keeps getting weirder
Former UGA football cornerback Deandre Baker recently turned himself into jail, but the case against him seems to be unraveling.
Last Thursday, the armed robbery case involving former UGA football cornerback Deandre Baker was practically solved by social media.
Everyone read the warrant, saw the witness testimony. There’s no way Baker was innocent, the newly minted millionaire threw away his fortune and future for some cash and some watches.
But as the days have passed, the testimony against Baker, and his possible accomplices including former Florida Gator Quinton Dunbar, has broken down. On Friday, Bradford Cohen, one of Baker’s attorneys, said he had affidavits from other witnesses which clash with the allegations against Baker.
More from Dawn of the Dawg
- Georgia Football: Top 5 Nick Chubb Moments at Georgia
- Georgia Football: Know the enemy UAB Blazers
- Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
- Georgia Football: Should laundry list of injuries be a cause to panic?
- Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina
More recently, Patrick Patel, another one of Baker’s attorneys, said the Miramar Police Department will likely dismiss the case soon. Patel went as far as to say the allegations against Baker are an attempt to extort money from the 2018 Jim Thorpe Award winner.
Statements from Baker’s attorneys and some conflicting affidavits aren’t all that point towards his innocence. David Touger, a criminal defense attorney from New York City, told the New York Post that the case has significant weaknesses.
Also, Baker’s bail amount was only $200,000, a backbreaking amount for the average person, but a drop in the bucket for a former first-round NFL draft pick. Had the case against Baker been stronger, his bail amount would have likely been much larger. Instead, Baker only spent a night in jail before paying the $200,000 and leaving.
When the allegations first surfaced, many were reminded of the character issues teams had with Baker going into the 2019 NFL Draft. The issues were a surprise to Georgia fans because Baker was never a problem in Athens. Baker was never arrested, nor was he ever suspended.
The issues in question? Apparently Baker needed to “have his ass kicked every day to work hard at Georgia… to even go to practice.” Those character issues were probably a reason why Baker struggled as a rookie, but laziness doesn’t exactly translate to armed robbery.
Next. 10 greatest quarterbacks in UGA football history. dark
The ongoing saga around Baker teaches an important lesson. No one is guilty until proven otherwise. No matter how bad the allegations are or how many witnesses there might be, it’s best to wait until more facts come out before making a judgment.