Attorney: “Bowers Will Be Fully Exonerated”
February 19th, 2013
Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers leaves a New York City jail late Monday after being collared for possession of a pistol at LaGuardia Airport yesterday morning.
Sometimes, Joe enjoys the hubris of some. Take attorneys who represent clients. In this case, said attorney is Dennis Coppin, who represents Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers.
Yesterday, Bowers admitted to a US Airways clerk at LaGuardia Airport in Queens he was packing heat in his carry-on bag. This practice is frowned upon by New Yorkers, very much so in fact, and Bowers was slapped with a felony charge and locked up for the better part of Monday.
But in an e-mail to the Tampa Tribune, Coppin declares Bowers will walk away from these proceedings free as a bird, so reports Woody Cummings.
“After a full and fair investigation of the facts and circumstances regarding this registered firearm Mr. Bowers will be fully exonerated,” attorney Dennis Coppin wrote in an email to The Tribune on Tuesday.
That’s much easier said than done. As Joe pointed out yesterday after speaking to a former Manhattan prosecutor and current defense attorney in the Big Apple, Bowers and his counsel are going to have to disco dance through legal hoops for Bowers to walk on these charges.
Just like player agents, Joe is always suspicious of hired-gun attorneys boasting of their client’s innocence. Why? Well, have you ever heard an attorney say of his client, “He was caught with the bloody glove and we are throwing ourselves at the mercy of a jury of his peers for lenience?”
Of course not. Lawyers and agents have agendas, and Joe has no issue with that. Part of said agenda is putting up a desired front.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
Someone pass this site on to Bowers please.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/travel/
February 19th, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Joe…I couldn’t be happier for our Bucs if that was true. I think Da’Quan is just beginning to show us what he can do. Would be a shame for a number of reasons for it to go otherwise.
Your point that lawyers are often times “sales puffing” like a “used car salesmen” when talking about their clients is accurate and well placed, in light of the fact that some wouldn’t understand that. I just hope that he is as good at what he does as he obviously thinks he is.
One thing encouraging, though. It is apparent from this article and others that have been reported, that the gun was very probably registered somewhere, and that is important.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:20 pm
This is no front, Like I’ve said all along.
Bowers will be ok, his character will come through in the end.
February 19th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
worked for talib.
February 19th, 2013 at 4:09 pm
As expected. Media (in general) likes to hype it up saying “he could face 175 years in PRISON!!!!!!!!!!”
February 19th, 2013 at 4:15 pm
not in NY…(see plaxico burress). He’ll be playing for the Bloomberg Bucs for at least a year.
February 19th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Bowers is not going to be fully exonerated, but he is going to have his charges reduced. As I stated earlier, he will probably have to pay a stiff fine, but he is not going to jail or miss any significant time from the Bucs. Shaun Rogers paid a 400k fine to the NFL and Goodell will be looking for a check too!
The media is quick to point out that these are the same charges that was made against Plaxico Burress. Not to lessen the seriousness of the charge, but the DA is already signalling the magnitude of this charge. Anybody who has been near a court knows that bail is based on the severity of the charge and is insurance against the risk of flight. Bowers’ bail is set at $10,000 and Plaxico’s bail was set at $100,000. Bowers lives out of state in Florida. What does that tell you?
February 19th, 2013 at 4:34 pm
They really have noting better to do in New York than charge a guy for acidentally having a gun in his luggage at the airport, a fact he volunteered?
Rediculous.
February 19th, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Plexico was also offered a deal, but decided to roll the dice, so the two should not be compared at this time. The court also see the difference in someone telling an airline person they forgot to check their gun, and a fool that brings a gun into a night club in the waste band of his pant…and ends up discharging the fire arm into his leg. Macabee has this one right.
February 19th, 2013 at 5:45 pm
Like I said, as long as he was registered and there was no bullet in the chamber, a couple of nice fiscally stuffed handshakes would do the job.
February 19th, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Ridiculous, Eric. Like it is ridiculous that people spell ridiculous incorrectly. R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S. Sorry, do not mean to be grammar police, especially because mine is usually incorrect as well. But, when people spell ridiculous like that it is a pet-peeve of mine.
February 19th, 2013 at 6:29 pm
And it’s proposterous!
February 19th, 2013 at 6:30 pm
I really hope the best. This is a young man of character and good morale center. A mistake by a good person- nothing more.
If justice prevails- this goes away
But it happened in New York . . .
February 19th, 2013 at 7:01 pm
And of course other teams fans who hate us will be all over this, especially those Nywankers. They want him to be treated as bad or worse than their beloved Burress was. Got news for you, different situation all together. Time for us Buc fans to rally up once again.
February 19th, 2013 at 7:52 pm
I’m to the point, based upon the continuing unfolding of the story, where I can see what I’ve been hoping for, a reduction to a third degree possession charge, a big fine, and probation. I heard the gun was registered in South Carolina, and based upon his character and history, starting to feel a little better. As far as the NFL goes, probably in line with Macabee on that part of it. Maybe this will help Da’Quan realize that he has to be more careful in such situations, and again reinforce what a blessing it is to have the talent to play in the NFL…and drive him to continue to do his best to achieve success in that area of his life.
February 19th, 2013 at 8:30 pm
I hope this atty is correct but his statements are based on common sense which isn’t so common in NY.
Go Lightning!!!
February 19th, 2013 at 9:52 pm
I understand that a law is a law, and technically Bowers broke the law. However, can’t common sense overrule the law sometimes? To compare what Bowers did to what Plaxico did is ridiculous, yet according to the law they are the same. If Bowers got caught in the security line, then that’s a different story. However, he willingly told them what he had. Obviously he had no idea it would be such a big deal, or he would have just got rid of the gun (pretty sure he can afford to do that). He tried to do the right thing, but got popped on a technicality. It just seems like someone with some resemblance of common sense should take over, dismiss the charge, and move on to something more serious.
February 19th, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Why do so many Buccaneer fans show such outward disdain for their fellow citizens based on the zip code with which they live? It’s not a good reflection upon yourselves, and distasteful no matter where you live in America or the world today.
Everybody in New York is the not same. We’re not all Giants or Jets fans.
February 19th, 2013 at 10:38 pm
Technically the only law he broke was that the mag and ammo were in the same bag and were not locked in a separate bag, It is not illegal to take a gun to an airport check it with your other bags and fly how do you think people go on hunting trips out of state. It sounds like he asked the person at the counter the proper way to fly with his gun, the person sees a giant black dude informing them he has a gun and they pissed there pants and overreacted.
Thats just my 2 cents
February 19th, 2013 at 11:13 pm
The difference between Bowers and Burress’s cases is that Burress pled DOWN to the charge that Bowers now faces. Burress faced reckless endangerment and avoided much more serious jail time by pleading to the lesser illegal gun possession charge. Bowers’s attorney is doing the right thing by beginning the negotiations with “charges dismissed” as his starting point. What better place would you want your attorney to start from? Better yet, another attorney who’s also handled such cases in Queens has told the Tampa Bay Times that it’s not at all unusual to get the charges dismissed. Bowers was acting in good faith and made an honest– not a shifty– mistake, which makes all the difference in the world. It really irritates me when so-called fans and sportswriters are quick to condemn celebrities for just plain being human beings with the same flaws and bad luck as the rest of us. There are no good or bad people, only good and bad deeds. Can’t wait for our guy to come home and shine on the field again!
February 20th, 2013 at 12:35 am
On the other hand if the guy was in new York then went to the airport possessing a gun,within the city limits, he was violating the law the whole time. Wonder where he was staying? or was he staying in New York City?
February 20th, 2013 at 12:39 am
@BKNY
I don’t think that we were criticizing New Yorkers at any point, just NY Gun Laws. They are indeed horrible.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:07 am
Interstate travel with a weapon is legal in all states this federal law supercedes any state law. So he flys into ny with it properly checked does his business llans to return or go to nc and declares his weapon at counter normal procedure except ny idiots dont know the law. I mentioned in another post how a US congressman had a connection flight in ny from ca and the connection flight was canceled he had to claim his bags one was his checked weapon. He spent the night in ny and retuned next day to airport and goes to counter to declare his weapon to ticket agent and she calls cops over and they arrest him. He was cleared of all charges but left a lot of cash in ny to prove that the federal interstate travel covered him on his travels with a weapon.
February 20th, 2013 at 8:31 am
BKNY- not one bad word or thought towards the people of New York. Only hate the gun laws. They seem to deliberately target the law abiding for prosecution. Plus they have been counter productive. Every escalation in gun control was followed by a rise in violent crime.
Criminals love knowing that their victims are defenseless! It makes them feel nice and safe robbing you.
February 20th, 2013 at 8:39 am
LMAO @ jake! 🙂
February 20th, 2013 at 8:55 am
Mike Vick’s lawyer said that when the truth comes out he would be exonerated too.
February 20th, 2013 at 9:05 am
Eric- just my impression, but I thought he was just changing planes in NY. That may also factor in- length of Time in the state. Concealed weapon permits Are honored in nearly every state from here to NY, but a valid Permit in Florida is not honored in NY.
February 20th, 2013 at 9:06 am
Which truth was that? lol
February 20th, 2013 at 10:01 am
The people of NY are the ones that elect the idiots that make these stupid laws. It takes an idiot to elect an idiot, and at this point in time, well over half of the voters in NY are idiots.
February 20th, 2013 at 11:18 am
Gee, Big Mac, you really come off as a civilized adult individual.
February 20th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
@ captain,
Im confused on that point. Cause reports say he was checking in to fly to Raleigh. Usually if you have a connecting flight u get a ticket to your final destination. So you dont check in again so to speak till you get to your gate.
Got me man.