• Greg Hardy Crime
• Greg Hardy Crimes

Former Dallas Cowboy Greg Hardy was arrested Sunday night in Richardson for felony possession of a controlled substance, police told News 8. Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy argued in a hearing with NFL officials that his then-girlfriend simply tripped and fell into a bathtub during an incident that led to his arrest on domestic.

• TMZ Sports has obtained the Greg Hardy cocaine arrest video which shows cops warning each other that he's a big, strong, Dallas Cowboys player. So 'we have to not stir anything up.'
• The release of graphic photos of the injuries NFL star Greg Hardy allegedly inflicted on his ex-girlfriend in 2014 has caused a massive uproar. But the Dallas Cowboys player still took the field.

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Despite the fact that it guarantees them a one-year salary that is the average of the top five salaries at their position, generally speaking, NFL players do not like to get hit with the 'franchise tag' when they reach free agency.

More often than not, the franchise tag is a placeholder for the two sides, team and player, to work out a long-term deal, but if the two sides don't reach a long-term agreement, then the player plays the one year under the franchise tag salary for his position, and must wait at least one more season for a long-term deal and the guaranteed big bonus money that comes with it.

Carolina defensive end Greg Hardy is one of those players, designated the franchise player for the Panthers. Somehow, I don't think the latest news involving Hardy (who's been in the news before) is going to get the Panthers to the bargaining table any quicker.

Because domestic assault is probably not the best way to go about getting a multi-year extension done:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- From a Carolina Panthers jersey to a jail jumpsuit, defensive end Greg Hardy spent Tuesday night behind bars, accused of assaulting his girlfriend.

Eyewitness News first confirmed and reported his arrest Tuesday. WSOC-TV first reported the arrest on Twitter. WSOC-TV Twitter page Hardy has been charged with assault on a female and communicating threats. He is expected in court on Wednesday for his first appearance in court.

His arrest comes one day before a Men for Change breakfast sponsored by Safe Alliance, Inc. at Bank of America Stadium. The event raises awareness about domestic violence.

It was scheduled before Hardy's arrest.

Hardy got into a fight with his 24-year-old girlfriend at an uptown apartment on North Tryon Street across from the Belk Theater around 4:20 a.m. Tuesday, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police report.

Police haven't said what the fight was about, but according to a report Hardy's girlfriend, whose name was not included, suffered scratches and bruises but she didn't go to the hospital.

It also said the two had been in a relationship since last September.

'We are very disappointed to learn of the allegations involving Greg and are concerned for all parties as we continue to investigate,' a spokesperson for the Panthers said in a statement.

Mike Sexton works with the Mecklenburg County Women's Commission.

He said he has worked with victims from high-profile relationships and this latest case of alleged abuse proves domestic violence doesn't discriminate.

'It sends a message that anybody and everybody can go down this road,' Sexton said.

Hardy, nicknamed 'The Kraken,' was drafted by Carolina in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and played his college ball at Ole Miss.

Hardy signed a franchise tag tender with the Carolina Panthers in March. He will make $13.1 million next season if he doesn't sign a long-term extension before July 15

During this past week, the big stories post-draft have centered around Rams defensive end Michael Sam, the first openly gay player in league history, and the reaction to his kissing his boyfriend upon hearing the news of the Rams' selecting him in the seventh round. Dolphins lineman Don Jones (who nobody knew outside of Miami before Sunday) was fined and suspended from team activities for tweeting 'OMG' and 'horrible' after viewing Sam's kiss.

Jones's reaction and punishment were on the front page of many of the big sports sites throughout the day on Monday.

Meanwhile, Hardy's crime is nestled snugly on the NFL subpage, in between stories of Joe Haden's new deal and Andre Johnson's uncertainty about his future with the Texans. So if you're keeping score at home, player tweets a couple of unenlightened (albeit honest) words, and that's front-page news; player assaults girlfriend, buried amidst contract news, business as usual.

That's fairly messed up.

Thankfully, I'm here to keep track of the real crime. Your revised standings...

2014 FANTASY CRIME LEAGUE STANDINGS 1 point .. misdemeanor 3 points .. felony 10 points .. murder

49ERS .. 8 * 3/28/14: 49ers CB Chris Culliver is charged with felony hit and run, misdemeanor reckless driving, and felony possession of brass knuckles. * 4/13/14: 49ers DE Aldon Smith is charged with MISDEMEANOR false report of a bomb threat.

COLTS .. 3 * 3/16/14: Colts owner Jim Irsay is arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance (felony)

Greg Hardy Crime

RAVENS .. 3 * 2/14/14: Ravens RB Ray Rice is charged with third degree assault. * 2/21/14: Ravens WR Deonte Thompson is arrested for suspicion of possession of marijuana. * 3/9/14: Raves OL Jah Reid is arrested on two counts of battery.

BILLS .. 3 * 5/7/14: Bills DT Marcell Dareus is arrested for felony possession of synthetic marijuana

FALCONS .. 1 * 2/18/14: Falcons WR Roddy White is arrested for failing to appear in court.

TITANS .. 1 * 3/20/14: Titans DE Adewale Ojomo is arrested for solicitation of prostitution.

Greg Hardy Crimes

BENGALS .. 1 * 3/31/14: Bengals FB Orson Charles is charged with wanton endangerment.

RAMS .. 1 * 3/29/14: Rams CB Greg Reid is arrested for violating probation.

BEARS .. 1 * 4/21/14: Bears WR Josh Morgan is arrested for simple assault.

PANTHERS .. 1 * 5/13/14: Panthers DE Greg Hardy is arrested for misdemeanor domestic assault.

Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SeanCablinasian.

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The domestic violence case against Carolina Panther Greg Hardy was dismissed this week. According to the Charlotte Observer, a principal reason was that the alleged victim, Hardy’s ex-girlfriend, refused to cooperate and avoided service of a subpoena. Prosecutors also told the judge that the alleged victim had reached a civil settlement with Hardy. To be clear, no one has said that the settlement agreement required the alleged victim not to cooperate. But could the agreement contain such a provision?

Not ethically. Rule 3.4 provides that a lawyer shall not “obstruct another party’s access to evidence,” and specifically, shall not “counsel or assist a witness to hide or leave the jurisdiction for the purpose of being unavailable as a witness.” Several ethics opinions clarify and amplify the rule.

Victims may agree to support dismissal or a favorable plea agreement, but may not agree to refuse to testify or to withhold evidence. RPC 225 addresses the interplay of civil and criminal proceedings. It indicates that it would be proper for Hardy’s lawyers to discuss the settlement of the alleged victim’s civil claims in conjunction with a discussion of the alleged victim’s cooperation in obtaining a plea agreement or a dismissal of the charges against Hardy. But any civil settlement could not ethically include:

• “[M]aking the settlement of the . . . civil claims contingent upon the content of the testimony of the [alleged victim] or upon the outcome of the [criminal] case.”
• Any terms that “result in a witness’s refusal to testify or the withholding of factual information from the court.” 98 FEO 2 (ruling that lawyers generally may not advise their clients to evade service of process or explain how to do so).

The idea that an alleged victim may offer some assistance in a defendant’s criminal case in exchange for a favorable civil settlement is also reflected in 98 FEO 19 (stating that a victim’s attorney ethically may “propos[e] that [a] [v]ictim will acquiesce to [a favorable] plea agreement in exchange for a confession of judgment from [a defendant]”). That opinion also contains cautionary language to the effect that a victim’s lawyer “may not imply that the lawyer has the ability to interfere with the due administration of justice and the criminal proceedings or that the client will enter into any agreement to falsify evidence.”

Victims may agree not to report crimes. Although not directly relevant, it is also worth noting 2008 FEO 15, which provides that so long as “the agreement does not constitute the criminal offense of compounding a crime and is not otherwise illegal, and does not contemplate the fabrication, concealment, or destruction of evidence, a lawyer may participate in a settlement agreement of a civil claim that includes a non-reporting provision prohibiting the plaintiff from reporting the defendant’s conduct to law enforcement authorities.” That opinion, too, reminds attorneys to avoid involvement in the obstruction of justice, saying that lawyers “must also be careful to avoid any implication that the settlement includes the client’s agreement to testify falsely or to evade a subpoena in a criminal proceeding should criminal charges subsequently be brought by the authorities. Such conduct clearly violates the prohibitions in Rule 3.4(a) and (b) on counseling or assisting another to destroy or hide evidence, testify falsely, or avoid serving as a witness.”

The bottom line. Civil settlement agreements generally may be conditioned on:

• A victim’s non-reporting of a crime
• A victim’s support for a favorable plea agreement
• A victim’s support for a dismissal

They may not be conditioned on:

• The content of a victim’s testimony
• The outcome of the criminal case
• A victim’s refusal to testify
• A victim’s evasion of service

The victim also may not receive more compensation than he or she is entitled to under applicable civil law. In other words, the victim may not use the threat of reporting a crime or opposing a plea agreement to extort a greater settlement than he or she deserves. 98 FEO 19.

Finally, when there are negotiations between an alleged victim and a defendant, the prosecutor should be notified. RPC 225 (stating that “the district attorney responsible for the case should be advised of the discussions”).