Panthers’ Final Answer: No Greg Hardy in 2015

[TheDude]

Very plausible that the female fabricated a story. By most reports she was not a well rehearsed witness in that trial (Bad dress, gesticulating, etc.). It was a lesson in what good lawyering can do. The requesting of a bench trial with a DE NOVA appeals gives you a two shot chance. Since the bench trials are not court reported paid by the state, most appeals could not impeach any on record testimony as it would be hearsay. The attorney paid for a reporter and now has the only copies. Somehow he didnt have to share the transcript with prosecution and now wont share with the NFL. Maybe I gave him too much credit and it was serendipity

That said, I think the initial arrest (Hardy called 911 on Holder and Hardy is the one arrested), the judge did not believe his story after 12 witnesses (unusual for a bench trial). One of his witnesses, Laura Iwanicki, damaged his credibility.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article9140591.html

Also, while he isnt convicted. The initial ruling has not been expunged.

http://www.nccourts.org/County/Mecklenburg/Documents/hardydismissal2.pdf
http://www.nccourts.org/County/Mecklenburg/Documents/SuspendingMisdemeanor.pdf

Interesting case. Great lawyer. Carolina (Richardson) didnt buy Hardy's story.

Seemed to be liked by teammates and coaches. I say sign him if there is discount value. I hope he isnt in any NFL drug program - the coke and pot testimony at the trial makes that a little concerning - but I dont know if that was just her.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Would love to see Hardy rocking the star on his helmet and I wouldn't be upset over the money spent. He would be an impact player.

What WOULD make me upset is bringing in a new rotation of bargain bin long shots. Been there, done that, please not again... Let's fix this thing NOW.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

If Hardy can stay on the field hes worth 10 million a year. ...and he'll probably get it.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

This guy is the name in my opinion. Warts and all, he is far and away the best pass rusher to hit the market and will cost accordingly. But if we're serious about improving the defense and taking that next step this year, I see him as a must have. The one big splurge to load up and kick the door in. Like the Peterson news, I see this as good news for the Cowboys.

It is also a position where FA acquisitions have the historical biggest bang for the buck. Bennet and Avril in Seattle. Dumervil has been at several stops and been very productive. Ware in Denver. Williams has been a success despite his huge salary in Buffalo. Jared Allen was catalytic going to the Vikings a few years ago.

Prior to that you have Rice to the Bucs. White to the Pack.

DE is a very portable position.

 

[Nirvana]

I would love to sign him to a Melton-like deal. Prove his worth and prove he can stay out of trouble.

He's had a couple of big seasons in sacks and really doesn't have to prove his worth IMO. It's gonna take a much bigger contract than Melton - not even in the same stratosphere.

 

[waving monkey]

It was invalidated and vacated solely due to the prosecution being unable to get the victim to testify. The reason she wasn't able to be located to testify was due to Hardy and her reaching a financial settlement.

thats the American justice system.

 

[AsthmaField]

Just sign him already and lets go BPA at 27.

 

[adbutcher]

I really hope some of you who know with certainty Greg Hardy is guilty never end up being a juror. This mentality of disregarding the judicial system because it doesn't fit your perception is ridiculous. Im sure if a woman/man accused you of something you would be fine waving your right to a jury trial and accepting a verdict handed down by a single entity, who is easier to convince/deceive than multiple jurors. Your knowledge of half truths and a low percent of the evidence along with a lack of knowledge of what a North Carolina bench trial is and is used for is irrelevant because you already know exactly what happened right?

This is straight church. People are quick to discard constitutional rights until it affects them. There is a reason that reasonable doubt is a huge burden for the prosecution to overcome because the jury pool is comprised of the very folks here that have expressed a guilty vote regardless of the evidence.....I hope none of my innocent until proven guilty friend or family member have to depend on their solemn judgement...shudder.....

 

[Kaiser]

thats the American justice system.

Actually that isn't the American system. If the DA thought Hardy as guilty and the girl had been paid not to testify he would just subpoena her and make her testify. What happened was that the girl proved to be a completely unreliable witness that the DA knew he couldn't count on at trial. Also Hardy's attorney claimed he had evidence to clear him and may well have.

People keep ignoring this but the financial settlement was to get the girl to drop a Civil Trial, which has nothing to do with the Criminal Trial we are talking about. A Civil trial would cost Hardy at least 500K to fight and every defense attorney will recommend that you offer 25K to make it go away, no matter how innocent you are.

 

[manster4ever]

Good thing odds are we will never have to find out.

agree...he's a scumbag

 

[xwalker]

Would love to see Hardy rocking the star on his helmet and I wouldn't be upset over the money spent. He would be an impact player.

What WOULD make me upset is bringing in a new rotation of bargain bin long shots. Been there, done that, please not again... Let's fix this thing NOW.

Yes, now people want bargain free agents because they had some success with it the past couple of years; however, I think people might be a year behind in their thought process. The team is now at the point that they've filled holes enough to get to the playoffs. The next step is to add some impact players.

 

[LatinMind]

agree...he's a scumbag

Dont understand the whole talk about RKG's in this forum but wanting this guy on the team bad. And then saying his case was thrown out like he didnt beat his GF. Money hungry.... or not he abused her. A judge said this without any doubt in her mind. But the GF needs to live so her silence was bought. Thats life, but i wouldnt want this dbag anywhere near this team.

 

[Kaiser]

This is straight church. People are quick to discard constitutional rights until it affects them. There is a reason that reasonable doubt is a huge burden for the prosecution to overcome because the jury pool is comprised of the very folks here that have expressed a guilty vote regardless of the evidence.....I hope none of my innocent until proven guilty friend or family member have to depend on their solemn judgement...shudder.....

And beyond that, it isn't an esoteric issue about constitutional rights. Its common sense. There is absolutely nothing, anywhere that indicates Hardy did this beyond the statement of a nutjob ex-GF who was on coke at the time and later contradictecd herself on the same statements.

And the people saying he did do it say that because... they read a couple of posts here. And they "just know". Its amazing.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Charles Haley took a dump in someones car to get kicked off the 49ers and was known for masterbating during team meetings

They cant all be choir boys

 

[TheDude]

Actually that isn't the American system. If the DA thought Hardy as guilty and the girl had been paid not to testify he would just subpoena her and make her testify. What happened was that the girl proved to be a completely unreliable witness that the DA knew he couldn't count on at trial. Also Hardy's attorney claimed he had evidence to clear him and may well have.

People keep ignoring this but the financial settlement was to get the girl to drop a Civil Trial, which has nothing to do with the Criminal Trial we are talking about. A Civil trial would cost Hardy at least 500K to fight and every defense attorney will recommend that you offer 25K to make it go away, no matter how innocent you are.

Not exactly. They tried to subpoena her for months...work, residence, other know residences...couldn't serve her

 

[Nightman]

Not exactly. They tried to subpoena her for months...work, residence, other know residences...couldn't serve her

That is a cop out imo. They could have found her pretty easily if they opened her Facebook page. The talk of a civil settlement is also very unprofessional. They have no proof of one and to imply Hardy paid her off is accusing him of a crime.

They had a bad case and a bad witness and still want to paint Hardy as the criminal. They don't have that right anymore, not after dropping all charges.

 

[TheDude]

That is a cop out imo. They could have found her pretty easily if they opened her Facebook page. The talk of a civil settlement is also very unprofessional. They have no proof of one and to imply Hardy paid her off is accusing him of a crime.

They had a bad case and a bad witness and still want to paint Hardy as the criminal. They don't have that right anymore, not after dropping all charges.

Did you read the dismissal? I posted the court filing. they tried multiple places to serve her for a long period of time. Also, how do you know they had no proof Of civil settlement?

She wasn't a good witness, but I can't summarily dismiss 12 hours of testimony, the cops not believing him, and the initial judge who ruled his story was not believable.

that isn't to say he would have lost the appeal if she testified, but he had many holes in his story that other witnesses besides her testified to.

I fine if Dallas signs him, but let's be fair about what really went down that is public record

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I don't think Dallas spent the last four years stripping away bad salary cap debt and building around Right Kinda Guys in order to pay $30 million to a guy who was found guilty for beating the crap out of his girlfriend and then paid her off to win an appeal. Just a hunch.

Thats all false, he was never found guilty in a jury trial and the case was dismissed because there wasn't enough evidence to convict him. He never paid anybody off. That's made up stories plus if a NFL player beat a women up like you say then why she didn't have any marks. ....not even a bruise

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Did you read the dismissal? I posted the court filing. they tried multiple places to serve her for a long period of time. Also, how do you know they had no proof Of civil settlement?

She wasn't a good witness, but I can't summarily dismiss 12 hours of testimony, the cops not believing him, and the initial judge who ruled his story was not believable.

that isn't to say he would have lost the appeal if she testified, but he had many holes in his story that other witnesses besides her testified to.

I fine if Dallas signs him, but let's be fair about what really went down that is public record

I read the dismissal. It seemed pretty unprofessional and more than a little incompetent for a DA to claim to have reliable evidence of tampering with one of their witnesses as one of the reasons for abandoning the case. An agreement regarding a civil trial would be completely besides the point but he left it vague so who knows to what he is speaking.

He claims they went by two locations in their search over the course of months. Maybe they left a man on a location but again its vague. As others have mentioned, she lived a pretty far flung life that she liked to smear on social media. I wasn't impressed into what you are talking about.

Do you have some extra sources or something because you are speaking to the actual thoughts of the judge and as to witnesses and how their testimony was received regarding Hardy's credibility. To me, the accusers credibility should be examined and it seems to have gone by the wayside. At no point does that seem to be considered.

 

[Nation]

Thats all false, he was never found guilty in a jury trial and the case was dismissed because there wasn't enough evidence to convict him. He never paid anybody off. That's made up stories plus if a NFL player beat a women up like you say then why she didn't have any marks. ....not even a bruise

Made up story by who? Jason Cole and every writer in Carolina? What evidence is there that they made the stories up given they were outright confirmed by the prosecution?