Denver Broncos star cornerback Aqib Talib shot himself in the leg early a.m. while in a Dallas park, police conclude. Suspension in question?
WFAA television revealed that Dallas police officers concluded that Aqib Talib did in fact, shoot himself in the June 5th incident. Talib suffered from a gunshot wound to his right thigh and calf muscle; requiring stitches to correct.
An early police report revealed that an acquaintance of Talib heard a gunshot while accompanying Talib and others in an early morning gathering in a park. The witness found Talib on the ground with a gunshot wound, and took him to a hospital. Initially, reports indicated that Talib was shot while at V Live, a strip-club, but the DPD cannot determine whether his injury occurred outside of V Live, or at a nearby park. That same night, two people were shot at V Live.
Talib has a history of run-ins with the law. In 2009, Talib was arrested for assaulting a taxi driver, and charged with resisting arrest and simple battery. In 2011, Talib held a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in an incident involving his sister’s boyfriend. The charges were dropped in the latter case due to insufficient evidence.
No Charges are expected to be filed by the Dallas Police Department. However, this incident is under review by the NFL in regards to the personal conduct policy.
At worst, Talib would face a Class A misdemeanor for recklessly firing a firearm inside a municipality with population over 100,000. Recklessly here may include firing a firearm while intoxicated, or with disregard for the safeties or others. Talib was definitely intoxicated when his injury occurred as he himself expressed. However, as none of Talib’s crew have made any statements, it will be impossible for the police to file charges as no statement has been made as to the owner of the gun.
Perhaps Talib went to sit down on a bench and found a gun and was trying to make sure the safety was on so nobody hurt themselves. Likely? No. But from what we’ve heard, this could be the kind of defense Talib’s lawyers could come up with.
The problem with comparing this to the Plaxico Burress situation…
Some people are comparing this situation to a similar incident involving Plaxico Burress. In 2008 Burress, then a WR with the Giants, discharged his pistol on accident while trying to readjust it in his pocket. The Giants responded by suspending Burress for the final 4 games of the season. Charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and a single count of reckless endangerment in the second degree, Burress would then serve two year in prison before returning to the league.
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Many people are saying a 4 game suspension may be appropriate. However, the Giants took their opportunity to try and withhold a 1 million dollar signing bonus from Burress with their suspension. The Giants had had numerous disciplinary problems with Burress, and suspended him themselves in the sake of saving a million.
Talib has not faced disciplinary problems while with the Broncos other than his numerous brash personal fouls on the field. Were Talib to face suspension, it would have to come down from Goodell. Hopefully, Goodell can see that objectively, all that can be proven is that Talib was drunk at 5a.m. on June 5th in a park, with a bunch of other people.
The gun cannot be tied to Talib, nor can any intent be established to handle a gun. As said before, Talib could’ve fallen on top of a gun. He probably didn’t, but you can’t prove anything more without witness testimony.
That being said, hopefully this topic is exhausted now. Goodell will probably hand down a suspension, just to keep up appearances, but Talib will be able to delay it through appeals. I would be surprised if Talib faces this suspension this year.