‘Pacman’ paid ‘extortion’ cash in Vegas shooting (1 Viewer)

[gianmarco]

Pacman Story

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Adam “Pacman” Jones paid “extortion” money to a 29-year-old man arrested for a Las Vegas strip club shooting that left a club employee paralyzed, police said.

Arvin Kenti Edwards, of Renton, Wash., allegedly used go-betweens to reach Jones, who paid $15,000 in two installments after the shooting, according to a police report obtained Monday.

“He paid $15,000 to his friends, who advised him that if he didn’t pay the money then this guy would come after him,” said Robert Langford, Jones’ lawyer in Las Vegas.

Jones, 24, went to Seattle on Friday and picked Edwards from a police lineup, Langford said. He said Jones identified Edwards as the man who opened fire with a handgun a little before 5 a.m. Feb. 19, 2007, outside the strip club during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend.

Police have not provided details of the investigation that led to Edwards’ arrest Friday on three counts of attempted murder with a weapon and three counts of battery with substantial bodily harm, all felonies. He was not sought on an extortion charge.

Edwards was being held on unrelated charges at the Yakima County Correctional Facility in Washington pending a Wednesday extradition hearing.

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Jail authorities have not said whether Edwards has a lawyer or had been assigned a public defender.

Las Vegas police said Jones met briefly with Edwards after a brawl led Jones and his entourage to be ejected from the Minxx strip club several blocks off the Las Vegas Strip. The two men parted, according to witnesses, and shots were fired moments later toward the club.

About a week later, someone began contacting Jones by telephone seeking money for “services rendered,” according to the police report filed to obtain Edwards’ arrest warrant.

Police alleged in the documents that one of the go-betweens told Jones that if he refused to pay, the accused shooter would “go after Jones, his mother and daughter.”

A childhood friend also contacted Jones, urging him to pay the money, the document said.

In April and early May, Jones had a friend wire $3,800 to a woman in Seattle. He put up $11,200 more for a friend in Atlanta to pay “in his behalf,” police said.

Throughout the warrant declaration police repeatedly refer to extortion and “extortion monies,” and say Jones told investigators he withdrew $10,000 from a bank account in Atlanta to pay his friend “for paying the extortion money in his behalf.”

Jones pleaded no contest Dec. 6 in Las Vegas to conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct in a plea deal that reduced two felony charges of coercion, which each carried a possible sentence of one to six years in prison.

In return, he agreed to tell police what he knew about the gunman. Jones never acknowledged any role in the shooting.

Police alleged Jones incited the brawl inside the club by showering strippers with cash and then became angry when the women picked up the money.

Jones was suspended for the 2007 season for his role in the Las Vegas incident and other misconduct off the field. The sixth pick in the 2005 draft has been arrested six times since being drafted. His status for the 2008 season remains unclear, although NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said he will consider reinstating Jones.

Langford denied Edwards’ arrest had any connection with Jones’ efforts to be reinstated by the NFL.

“Adam has been co-operating for a long time,” he said. “The declaration of warrant accurately reports a long and thorough investigation.”

The three people wounded in the shooting—club employees Tommy Urbanski and Aaron Cudworth and club patron Natalie Jones—have each have filed civil lawsuits seeking damages from Jones.

The lawsuit by Urbanski, who was paralyzed from the waist down, also seeks damages from the NFL, the Titans and the owners of Harlem Knights, a Houston strip club that hosted events at the Minxx club. A state court judge dropped the charges against the Titans. The case is pending in federal court in Las Vegas.

So, does Goodell let him back with this new info? Does Dallas change their mind?

 

[Deranged Hermit]

LOL at 'extortion' money. He just got caught paying hush money and is trying to spin it....

 

[Mr Capicollo]

LOL at 'extortion' money. He just got caught paying hush money and is trying to spin it....

My first thought too.

 

[Ridgelake]

I agree. Its hush money. If it was extortion, why didn't he tell the cops about it?

This really can't help his reinstatement cause. Or Tennessee's trade negotiation strength.

 

[Mr Capicollo]

I agree. Its hush money. If it was extortion, why didn't he tell the cops about it?

I'm sure the story will be that he was threatened with violence if he told anyone. Right now he's makin' it rain crocodile tears. If his career isn't literally over, I think you can kiss goodbye to anything more than a handful of additional games.

 

[Chaos Commish]

He paid $15,000 to his friends, who advised him that if he didn't pay the money then this guy would come after him, said Robert Langford, Jones lawyer in Las Vegas.

Hush money would be paying the guy off so he didn't come after him legally. It could be that and it seems to be how most of you are reading this, but I think that's wrong. I think he paid this guy off so he wouldn't come after him physically.

Police alleged in the documents that one of the go-betweens told Jones that if he refused to pay, the accused shooter would “go after Jones, his mother and daughter.”

A childhood friend also contacted Jones, urging him to pay the money, the document said.

There's nothing wrong with Pacman paying this money if he thinks it protects his family. I'm not detailing anything, but I have paid up under the same type of pressure in my past, and I was perfectly honest with the police about it. They understood completely.

“Adam has been co-operating for a long time,” he said. “The declaration of warrant accurately reports a long and thorough investigation.”

I don't think there's anything new for Goodell to worry about here.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

I wonder if the perp has a P.D. i wonder if on the Public Defender Application his financial affidavit discloses the funds? Were I the Court I would have the matter brought before me for examination.

 

[Phurfur]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

 

[Moe Green]

Someone needs to give the guy another chance.

 

[gianmarco]

He paid $15,000 to his friends, who advised him that if he didn't pay the money then this guy would come after him, said Robert Langford, Jones lawyer in Las Vegas.

Hush money would be paying the guy off so he didn't come after him legally. It could be that and it seems to be how most of you are reading this, but I think that's wrong. I think he paid this guy off so he wouldn't come after him physically.

Police alleged in the documents that one of the go-betweens told Jones that if he refused to pay, the accused shooter would “go after Jones, his mother and daughter.”

A childhood friend also contacted Jones, urging him to pay the money, the document said.

There's nothing wrong with Pacman paying this money if he thinks it protects his family. I'm not detailing anything, but I have paid up under the same type of pressure in my past, and I was perfectly honest with the police about it. They understood completely.

“Adam has been co-operating for a long time,” he said. “The declaration of warrant accurately reports a long and thorough investigation.”

I don't think there's anything new for Goodell to worry about here.

If anything, I think Goodell has to consider that this guy is now arrested and Pacman "ratted him out". If the story is true and this guy threatened Pacman, then you have to consider the fact that the threat still exists from other people associated with Edwards and he'll be in public view with other NFL people quite a bit if reinstated. That has to weigh somewhat into the equation.

 

[Mr Capicollo]

He paid $15,000 to his friends, who advised him that if he didn't pay the money then this guy would come after him, said Robert Langford, Jones lawyer in Las Vegas.

Hush money would be paying the guy off so he didn't come after him legally. It could be that and it seems to be how most of you are reading this, but I think that's wrong. I think he paid this guy off so he wouldn't come after him physically.

No, hush money means that the guy doesn't talk to police investigators in any way that would implicate PacMan. As for whether this is hush money or protection money, your opinion is nice and all but it's unsupported by any facts. What's the basis for your conclusion?

 

[Chaos Commish]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

Pacman paid after he shot people then made threats on his family.

 

[Bri]

The NFL has to, at some point, say that was in the past let's move on. It's in their's and Pacman's best interest. I can't stand his antics or behavior but, feel like things could come out about this, December night club instance, for years.

 

[massraider]

Yeah, I think it is most likely that this guy was Pac Man's buddy, and Pac paid him to go away. But guessing as to what happened isn't remotely helpful, and Goodell can't use conjecture to deny a reinstatement.

The fact is that Pac "helped" catch this guy. That can only help him. Giving up his boy could be seen as a sign that he is serious about turning over a new leaf, etc.

I think he's scum, personally, and I think he'll smack a cocktail waitress first chance he gets. But I don't care if he is reinstated, because he'll be suspended again soon enough.

But in this instance, I don't think it hurts Pac Man's chances for reinstatement. If anything, it helps.

 

[Chaos Commish]

He paid $15,000 to his friends, who advised him that if he didn't pay the money then this guy would come after him, said Robert Langford, Jones lawyer in Las Vegas.

Hush money would be paying the guy off so he didn't come after him legally. It could be that and it seems to be how most of you are reading this, but I think that's wrong. I think he paid this guy off so he wouldn't come after him physically.

No, hush money means that the guy doesn't talk to police investigators in any way that would implicate PacMan. As for whether this is hush money or protection money, your opinion is nice and all but it's unsupported by any facts. What's the basis for your conclusion?

If you didn't clip my quote the basis was very clearly stated in the article.

 

[EBF]

Maybe Pacman can hire Chris Henry to be his bodyguard. I hear he needs a job.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Yeah, I think it is most likely that this guy was Pac Man's buddy, and Pac paid him to go away. But guessing as to what happened isn't remotely helpful, and Goodell can't use conjecture to deny a reinstatement.The fact is that Pac "helped" catch this guy. That can only help him. Giving up his boy could be seen as a sign that he is serious about turning over a new leaf, etc.I think he's scum, personally, and I think he'll smack a cocktail waitress first chance he gets. But I don't care if he is reinstated, because he'll be suspended again soon enough.But in this instance, I don't think it hurts Pac Man's chances for reinstatement. If anything, it helps.

I agree with all of this. If it seems I'm defending him here, it's only a reaction to the bad interpretation of the story I picked up in this thread. I don't want Pacman in Dallas and I agree he's scum.

 

[Interseptopus]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

Pacman paid after he shot people then made threats on his family.

Yes.... but he was talking to the guy before he shot people. This guy is basically saying that Pacman was talking to him right before he shot those people... making him a friend, or at least someone Pacman knew. Now would a friend go after another friend's family? I don't know the thug world that well, or much about "making it rain" but I do know one thing, this sounds real fishy. "Friends told him he would come after him" So he didn't receive a threat from the shooter. So really this is Pacman getting caught paying this guy hush money to keep Pacmans name quiet and now he's trying to spin it off as this guy threatened him. The threat never came from the shooter.

Is anyone as sick of Pacman as many of us were sick of TO 2 years ago? Will this guy just GO AWAY

 

[massraider]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

Pacman paid after he shot people then made threats on his family.

Yes.... but he was talking to the guy before he shot people. This guy is basically saying that Pacman was talking to him right before he shot those people... making him a friend, or at least someone Pacman knew. Now would a friend go after another friend's family? I don't know the thug world that well, or much about "making it rain" but I do know one thing, this sounds real fishy. "Friends told him he would come after him" So he didn't receive a threat from the shooter. So really this is Pacman getting caught paying this guy hush money to keep Pacmans name quiet and now he's trying to spin it off as this guy threatened him. The threat never came from the shooter.

Is anyone as sick of Pacman as many of us were sick of TO 2 years ago? Will this guy just GO AWAY

Do you think a guy that shoots men and women in strip club parking lots has a problem shaking down a millionaire acquaintance? Is that supposed to be some sort of evidence that Pac is lying?

 

[Interseptopus]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

Pacman paid after he shot people then made threats on his family.

Yes.... but he was talking to the guy before he shot people. This guy is basically saying that Pacman was talking to him right before he shot those people... making him a friend, or at least someone Pacman knew. Now would a friend go after another friend's family? I don't know the thug world that well, or much about "making it rain" but I do know one thing, this sounds real fishy. "Friends told him he would come after him" So he didn't receive a threat from the shooter. So really this is Pacman getting caught paying this guy hush money to keep Pacmans name quiet and now he's trying to spin it off as this guy threatened him. The threat never came from the shooter.

Is anyone as sick of Pacman as many of us were sick of TO 2 years ago? Will this guy just GO AWAY

Do you think a guy that shoots men and women in strip club parking lots has a problem shaking down a millionaire acquaintance? Is that supposed to be some sort of evidence that Pac is lying?

Thugs are thugs. Pacman is a thug. I'm not saying anything is evidence. I'm saying my personal opinion is that Pacman hangs out with this peice of trash and when he realized what just happened he knew his butt was on the line with the NFL. And since I'm pretty sure I can be confident in the idea that Pacman finances these "rain storms" that these thugs indulge in. It is my personal opinion that Pacman knew what was coming and paid this guy to keep his mouth shut so that Pacman wouldn't get in trouble with the NFL. And now that it's been made public, Pacman is trying to make it seem like the guy was threatening him. Because if the NFL heard he was paying hush money, then that could give them grounds to not reinstate. His lawyers aren't stupid. Are you that nieve to think that this story is fact????Therefore it is my personal opinion that Pacman is and always will be a peice of trash thug that should just go away from the NFL so the rest of us can enjoy NFL Live, Sportscenter, and our Sunday NFL game without hearing that name. He'll never be a model citizen. And to say "someone needs to give this guy another chance" is just ridiculous. He deserves no chances. He had many. In college and the NFL. If he hasn't learned by now, he won't ever.

And why did the NFL force Playmakers to go off the air? Because it wasn't realistic...

...more like it was too realistic and the NFL didn't like that spotlight.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

Pacman paid after he shot people then made threats on his family.

Yes.... but he was talking to the guy before he shot people. This guy is basically saying that Pacman was talking to him right before he shot those people... making him a friend, or at least someone Pacman knew. Now would a friend go after another friend's family? I don't know the thug world that well, or much about "making it rain" but I do know one thing, this sounds real fishy. "Friends told him he would come after him" So he didn't receive a threat from the shooter. So really this is Pacman getting caught paying this guy hush money to keep Pacmans name quiet and now he's trying to spin it off as this guy threatened him. The threat never came from the shooter.

Is anyone as sick of Pacman as many of us were sick of TO 2 years ago? Will this guy just GO AWAY

Do you think a guy that shoots men and women in strip club parking lots has a problem shaking down a millionaire acquaintance? Is that supposed to be some sort of evidence that Pac is lying?

Agree again. Calling this hush money is not only assumptive but poor logic. It could be hush money. My first post admits as much, but that's a reach as this story is told and seems like an attempt to spin this as negatively as possible. I'd also be perfectly okay if Pacman just went away.

 

[massraider]

Did you pay someone you were talking to right before he shot 3 people?

Pacman paid after he shot people then made threats on his family.

Yes.... but he was talking to the guy before he shot people. This guy is basically saying that Pacman was talking to him right before he shot those people... making him a friend, or at least someone Pacman knew. Now would a friend go after another friend's family? I don't know the thug world that well, or much about "making it rain" but I do know one thing, this sounds real fishy. "Friends told him he would come after him" So he didn't receive a threat from the shooter. So really this is Pacman getting caught paying this guy hush money to keep Pacmans name quiet and now he's trying to spin it off as this guy threatened him. The threat never came from the shooter.

Is anyone as sick of Pacman as many of us were sick of TO 2 years ago? Will this guy just GO AWAY

Do you think a guy that shoots men and women in strip club parking lots has a problem shaking down a millionaire acquaintance? Is that supposed to be some sort of evidence that Pac is lying?

Thugs are thugs. Pacman is a thug. I'm not saying anything is evidence. I'm saying my personal opinion is that Pacman hangs out with this peice of trash and when he realized what just happened he knew his butt was on the line with the NFL. And since I'm pretty sure I can be confident in the idea that Pacman finances these "rain storms" that these thugs indulge in. It is my personal opinion that Pacman knew what was coming and paid this guy to keep his mouth shut so that Pacman wouldn't get in trouble with the NFL. And now that it's been made public, Pacman is trying to make it seem like the guy was threatening him. Because if the NFL heard he was paying hush money, then that could give them grounds to not reinstate. His lawyers aren't stupid. Are you that nieve to think that this story is fact????Therefore it is my personal opinion that Pacman is and always will be a peice of trash thug that should just go away from the NFL so the rest of us can enjoy NFL Live, Sportscenter, and our Sunday NFL game without hearing that name. He'll never be a model citizen. And to say "someone needs to give this guy another chance" is just ridiculous. He deserves no chances. He had many. In college and the NFL. If he hasn't learned by now, he won't ever.

I don't think anyone is arguing against you. The real discussion here (and the one you quoted) is what affect this'll have on his reinstatement. I don't see any facts that will hurt his case.

He's a thug, and a scumbag? Yeah, we already know that.

 

[Steady Mooobin]

Thugs are thugs. Pacman is a thug. I'm not saying anything is evidence. I'm saying my personal opinion is that Pacman hangs out with this peice of trash and when he realized what just happened he knew his butt was on the line with the NFL. And since I'm pretty sure I can be confident in the idea that Pacman finances these "rain storms" that these thugs indulge in. It is my personal opinion that Pacman knew what was coming and paid this guy to keep his mouth shut so that Pacman wouldn't get in trouble with the NFL. And now that it's been made public, Pacman is trying to make it seem like the guy was threatening him. Because if the NFL heard he was paying hush money, then that could give them grounds to not reinstate. His lawyers aren't stupid. Are you that nieve to think that this story is fact????Therefore it is my personal opinion that Pacman is and always will be a peice of trash thug that should just go away from the NFL so the rest of us can enjoy NFL Live, Sportscenter, and our Sunday NFL game without hearing that name. He'll never be a model citizen. And to say "someone needs to give this guy another chance" is just ridiculous. He deserves no chances. He had many. In college and the NFL. If he hasn't learned by now, he won't ever. And why did the NFL force Playmakers to go off the air? Because it wasn't realistic... ...more like it was too realistic and the NFL didn't like that spotlight.

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.

 

[greenroom]

I love how people do not read the report. The Police are saying it was extortion and everyone thinks that its "hush" money. If the Police thought it was hush money then Pacman would be in serious trouble. I am sure you would protect your family at all costs if needed..

Also he briefly talking to the shooter and everyone thinks he planned it?? give me a break.

This article shows that Pacman has been doing what the commish has been asking so no this would not have any impact negativly on him. In fact it should help him.

 

[simmonjm]

I heard that from the Michael Irvin show that after Pacman paid the guy through his friends that he was the one who turned in the photo of the guy to the police and that is how the police were able to make the arrest but carry on believing that Pacman paid hush money and the cops are just being played.

 

[fatness]

More details

On Friday, Las Vegas police announced that Arvin Edwards, 29, of Renton, Wash., was being charged with three counts of attempted murder with a weapon and three counts of battery with a weapon in connection with the Minxx assault.

Police do not specifically say in the report that Edwards is "P," the man who allegedly extorted Jones, but the report describes circumstances suggesting Edwards indeed sought payment from Jones.

The report said Edwards' telephone records were checked and confirm that on several dates during the time of the extortion plot, Edwards contacted Jones in Atlanta and Franklin, Tenn., from Seattle.

Edwards is currently being held in Yakima County, Wash., on fourth-degree assault, a domestic violence charge that's unrelated to the Minxx incident. He is expected to be extradited to Southern Nevada in the next two to four weeks, Las Vegas police said.

According to the report, Jones on Friday went to Yakima and identified Edwards as the shooter out of a lineup that included five other people.

Jones first received a threatening phone call in his Atlanta home one week after the shooting, the report said.

"P" wanted to collect money for a 'car,' " the report said. "Jones did not understand this reference. ... Jones hung up."

Jones received two or three similar phone calls and refused to cooperate.

When Jones' close friend, Christopher Davis, relayed a similar message, Jones again refused to pay. An Atlanta man with a reputation for violence then contacted Davis and told him that if Jones refused to pay, his family's safety was in jeopardy.

Davis eventually told Jones that he felt the threats were serious and that he would take care of the payments on Jones' behalf, the report said. He made two wire payments to a woman identified as Edwards' girlfriend. The remainder was given to the Atlanta man.

Davis would later approach Jones about reimbursement and Jones withdrew $10,000 a bank account to give to Davis, according to the report.

Edwards' girlfriend said she picked up wired payments for Edwards in Seattle but didn't know what the payments were for, the report said.

The woman, who was in Las Vegas during All-Star weekend, told police Edwards was in town during the strip club shooting and believed him to be capable of the crime, the report said.

The report also said that during the shooting, a man approached an agitated Jones who had just been escorted outside the club and told Jones not to worry, he would "take care of it."

Jones didn't know what the man was talking about, the report said. Shortly afterward, the unidentified man opened fire outside the nightclub, the report said.

Langford rebuffed any suggestion that Jones paid off Edwards in order to buy his silence.

"Any hint of an allegation of him paying somebody off is wrong and police don't think that," Langford said. "Because they would have taken the investigation in whole different way if they thought that."