Quinton Dunbar’s new second attorney describes what adding him means to the Seahawk’s case
The most recent filing on Quinton Dunbar’s felony armed-robbery case court hints that it is going to trial.
The notice of the Seahawks cornerback adding a second attorney would seem to suggest the case in Florida is not going away, as Dunbar and his lead lawyer believe it should.
But that second attorney says otherwise.
Michael D. Weinstein was added officially as Dunbar’s co-counsel on June 30 in a filing in the Circuit Court for the 17th Judicial District in Fort Lauderdale. He told The News Tribune Thursday that him joining Miami-based attorney Michael Grieco in Dunbar’s defense does not indicate the case is going to trial.
“No, not even a little bit,” Weinstein told the TNT by telephone from Fort Lauderdale.
“They haven’t made a charging decision in this case.”
He said his office is “literally down the street from the courthouse,” and that he was talking to Grieco about how Weinstein might be able to help Dunbar get the case dismissed. Grieco took Weinstein up on his offer to help.
Weinstein noted he was once a prosecutor in the same Broward County state attorney’s office that is handling Dunbar’s case.
Weinstein said it’s not overly unusual, concerning or indicative of whether a trial will proceed that prosecutors have taken more than six weeks (and counting) to decide on Dunbar’s four felony charges of armed robbery.
Adding Weinstein as a second attorney for Dunbar is the only court filing in the case between an administrative change-of-address notice on May 26 through Thursday morning.
The coronavirus pandemic and a recent spike in cases in Florida, in particular, have been among the factors that have slowed the case.
The Seahawks are scheduled to begin training camp July 28 at team headquarters in Renton. Because of the pandemic, Dunbar has yet to practice with Seattle since his trade in March from Washington. The Seahawks and all NFL teams had their offseason organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps in May through June canceled by the COVID-19 virus.
Seattle acquired Dunbar for a fifth-round draft choice with the idea he would if not replace at least challenge Tre Flowers for the starting-cornerback job opposite 2019 Pro Bowl cover man Shaquill Griffin.
Grieco, based in Dunbar’s native Miami, remains Dunbar’s lead attorney in the case stemming from an incident at a party in Miramar, Fla., May 13.
Dunbar and co-defendent DeAndre Baker, a defensive back with the New York Giants, pleaded not guilty at hearings in May. Dunbar pleaded that on May 20.
That was a week after Miramar police reported four victims and a witness told a detective there were robberies of jewelry and cash at a house party in that city and that Baker and Dunbar committed the crimes.
Grieco told The News Tribune in May and then judge Michael Davis, who presided over Dunbar’s bond hearing, that the five witnesses “completely recanted, on paper, sworn, their stories” they had originally told police at the party house the night of the alleged crime. Grieco told the TNT and the judge that on the affidavits he has those witnesses say Dunbar was not involved.
Dunbar was released from Broward County Jail May 18 on $100,000 bond. He’s been restricted to staying in Florida per terms of his release.
Prosecutors are still deciding whether to proceed with a trial. Grieco asserts the case should be dismissed.
The Seahawks are scheduled to begin training camp July 28 at team headquarters in Renton. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Dunbar has yet to practice with Seattle since his trade in March from Washington. The Seahawks and all NFL teams had their offseason organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps in May through June canceled by the COVID-19 virus.
The Seahawks acquired Dunbar for a fifth-round draft choice with the idea he would if not replace at least challenge Tre Flowers for the starting-cornerback job opposite 2019 Pro Bowl cover man Shaquill Griffin.
Seahawks ‘very much connected’
Coach Pete Carroll said last month Dunbar had rejoined the Seahawks’ virtual offseason training session online from Florida.
“He’s been very open with the discussions of what’s taken place, and the whole process going on,” Carroll said June 11.
“I don’t have the details of where that is right now. We can’t comment on that, anyway.
“We have been very much connected with him and what is next and all of that.”
Dunbar’s quest for become a Seahawks starter, in what would be a contract season for him, remains on hold as prosecutors decide how to proceed with his case in Florida.
According Miramar police detective Mark Moretti’s application for an arrest warrant, Dunbar allegedly “took money and watches belonging to the victim(s) with force; permanently depriving them of said property. In the course of committing the robbery, Quinton Disheen Dunbar was armed with a semi-automatic firearm.”
One witness told police Dunbar and Baker lost $70,000 at another party days earlier.
“There is no physical evidence. There is no corroborating evidence, beyond the initial five statements of these individuals, whatsoever,” Grieco told the judge in May.
Grieco read to the judge the sworn statements he says he received from the witnesses.
“The gathering we attended included 15 to 20 attendees, including DeAndre Baker and Quinton Dunbar,” Grieco read. “At some point between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. midnight there was an altercation among several individuals. The argument was related to a dice-gambling game.
“Any robbery or assault, with or without a firearm, did not involve Mr. Dunbar. Mr. Dunbar fled the home, and did not re-enter at any time. Mr. Dunbar did not directly, or indirectly, participate in any robbery or assist in collecting any valuables at the scene, or elsewhere.
“This was signed off on by all four victims and the witness, all of whom spoke with police.”
Grieco, as he has to The News Tribune and other media outlets, told the judge this was “a bogus case.”
MOTIVATIONS QUESTIONED
Aaron Passy, assistant state attorney for Florida’s 17th judicial district, and fellow prosecutors have been skeptical of the motives of those four victims and one witness for allegedly changing their stories.
Passy said in court in May it is “suspect” that “the same four victims have now, within 48 hours ... have gone and recanted — and only in regards to Dunbar,” not Baker.
Passy wanted to know why the affidavits Grieco obtained were even part of the court hearing in May, which remains the case’s only hearing so far.
Passy told the judge, “Because, like counsel has said, the detective has yet confirm with these witnesses if they’ve recanted, why they’ve recanted. And this is all important information.”
“This is just theoretical, but let’s say that, judge, these witnesses were receiving death threats,” Passy, the assistant state attorney, said. “Or let’s say, judge, that these witnesses were receiving offers or briberies. The detective has the right to go out and investigate why...within 36 hours in a case that has attracted some news coverage why they would recant—and recant only to one defendant, which is very interesting.”
Dunbar is charged with four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
Section 812.13 of the 2019 Florida Statutes available online states, in part: “If in the course of committing the robbery the offender carried a firearm or other deadly weapon, then the robbery is a felony of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment for a term of years not exceeding life imprisonment or as provided in (other statutory guidelines).”
Florida has a minimum-sentencing law that requires a sentence of at least 10 years in prison for anyone convicted of a felony while using or attempting to use a firearm.
If during the robbery the offender did not carry a weapon, Florida statutes consider that a second-degree felony.
