Despite the proclamation from the Broncos’ version of Saul Goodman that defensive end Elvis Dumervil ultimately won’t be charged with aggravated assault despite being arrested for aggravated assault, Dumervil should be worried about a different kind of judge.
And jury.
And executioner.
The arrest constitutes Dumervil’s second incident, and that’s typically when a guy lands on Commissioner Roger Goodell’s radar screen.
Dumervil was cited for assault and disturbing the peace during the 2010 season, after allegedly getting into an argument with a parking lot attendant at Invesco Field. The charges eventually were dropped.
This time, they could again be dropped. They may not even be filed. But that may not stop Goodell from lowering the boom on Dumervil.
In 2010, Goodell suspended Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after two allegations of sexual misconduct, even though he never was arrested once.
Goodell regards multiple incidents as a sign of an inability to steer clear of trouble. Thus, even if a guy ultimately is able to hire a lawyer who can finagle the player away from the pokey, Goodell may still decide to take matters into his own hands, especially if the league’s investigation indicates that Dumervil did something he shouldn’t have done.