PFT: Dez Bryant case will move forward to Dallas DA

[Midswat]

Posted by Josh Alper on July 20, 2012, 1:13 PM EDT

The DeSoto, Texas police department will file Class A misdemeanor family violence charges with the Dallas County District Attorney’s office on Friday, less than a week after Bryant was arrested following an incident with his mother.

DeSoto police captain Ron Smith announced that the department has wrapped up its investigation and that they have decided to move forward with the charges. Bryant is accused of grabbing his mother’s shirt and hair, striking her on the wrists and pushing her in the chest. Bryant’s mother also told a 911 dispatcher that her son was trying to kill her.

“We’re done with our work,” Smith said, via ESPNDallas.com. “We’ll file with the district attorney’s office and they’ll take it from there.”

Bryant faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000 if convicted of the Class A misdemeanor charge. There’s also the potential for discipline from the league, regardless of whether or not Bryant is convicted of the crime.

 

[superpunk]

so I'm guessing definite Goodell suspension?


We need a term for that. Hockey has the Shanaban.

 

[Theebs]

guys on the fan were speculating two games this morning...fwiw

 

[CobraKai]

RG will proabbly make an example out of Dez as a favor to his good friend Mara. At least maybe they wont have Nicks to even it out a little right?

 

[cmd34]

guys on the fan were speculating two games this morning...fwiw

the 2 games will somehow be the 2 Giants games.

 

[Texas Ace]

How can they suspend him before any type of decision from the DA?

If the charges are dropped or the case is dismissed, then how can he be suspended?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

How can they suspend him before any type of decision from the DA?

If the charges are dropped or the case is dismissed, then how can he be suspended?

It's in the new and old CBA (personal conduct policy). Any action that brings negative attention to the NFL could warrant a suspension.

 

[Hoofbite]

Is it even up to the mom at this point if charges are filed and/or dropped?

I think some states have laws that prevent the abused party in DV cases from dropping the charges. It's basically out of their hands because they know so many women would likely drop charges in fear of their husbands response if they didn't.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Is it even up to the mom at this point if charges are filed and/or dropped?

I think some states have laws that prevent the abused party in DV cases from dropping the charges. It's basically out of their hands because they know so many women would likely drop charges in fear of their husbands response if they didn't.

I also thought both parties were charged.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Where the hell is peplaw to weigh in?! We have two pressing legal issues to sift through!

 

[CowboysRMX]

i dont think he'll be suspended. Guy slapped his mom with a hat, probably grabbed her wrists to keep her from clawing him and pushed her in the chest to push her away. dimissed. If he had punched her or actually slapped her with his hand i could see it. Id think this is more embarrassing then serious.

 

[Hoofbite]

i dont think he'll be suspended. Guy slapped his mom with a hat, probably grabbed her wrists to keep her from clawing him and pushed her in the chest to push her away. dimissed. If he had punched her or actually slapped her with his hand i could see it. Id think this is more embarrassing then serious.

He'll be suspended if he gets convicted. That's a definite.

He'll likely be suspended regardless.

 

[CowboysRMX]

He'll be suspended if he gets convicted. That's a definite.

He'll likely be suspended regardless.

i dont see him being suspended for it. Goddell isnt that much of a idiot. This really isnt a story. Im stunned this blown every arrest story out of the water. All these other guys are out drinking clubs drugs whatever. Bryant had a family argument but even to Cowboy fans its like he commited murder. The media is making this a bigger story than it should be.

 

[Jon88]

Considering how the league instructs the refs to screw us over every year I'm sure he'll get the maximum suspension.

 

[Hoofbite]

Considering how the league instructs the refs to screw us over every year I'm sure he'll get the maximum suspension.

How did you ever lose your CZ card?

 

[Jon88]

How did you ever lose your CZ card?

I'd finally had enough of that ghetto rat they gave mod duties to and told her exactly what I thought of her.

 

[peplaw06]

Is it even up to the mom at this point if charges are filed and/or dropped?

I think some states have laws that prevent the abused party in DV cases from dropping the charges. It's basically out of their hands because they know so many women would likely drop charges in fear of their husbands response if they didn't.

Yes, the victim can still have plenty of say in what happens with the charges. Texas has no such law preventing the abused party from requesting charges be dropped or not filed. But if I were Dez's defense attorney, I'd be going after the DA hard to get them to decide not to file a misdemeanor information.

When the police wrap up their investigation and send the referral over to the DA, they wash their hands of the outcome. The DA has to decide whether to proceed with the charges. They can file the information or seek an indictment, or they can decline to file charges. I would think that the "victim" in this case isn't quite the credible person you want to build a high-profile prosecution on.

If Dez's mom doesn't request that the DA not prosecute Dez, they can still drop it outright, because she would be subject to cross-examination. Also, they may find the evidence isn't enough to prove he did this beyond a reasonable doubt.

Dez has no criminal history. I'd think the DA would be happy to give him some kind of deferred diversion and wash their hands of it, if not drop it outright.