Those expecting the Napa District Attorney to throw the book at Raiders coach Tom Cable, for allegedly assaulting an assistant, should be aware that the book might not be flying anywhere.
And that could become official as early as tomorrow.
Last week, ESPN's Bill Williamson reported that District Attorney Gary Lieberstein left a curiously pointed outgoing message on his answering machine. Lieberstein notes that there would be no new developments regarding Tom Cable's assault allegations last week, but that anyone interested in the case should "check back again in the later afternoon next Monday, Oct. 19."
ProFootballTalk.com cites sources "with knowledge of the investigation" saying that, in fact, the three witnesses present for the alleged jawbreaker are not corroborating assistant Randy Hanson's story that Cable assaulted him. Hanson's account of the incident claimed that the three Raiders assistant coaches present would be verifying his version of events, making this an open and shut case.
If true, the rather shocking 13-9 Raider victory over the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday would be just the beginning of good news for the beleaguered coach.
Looking at a time span of nearly two months since the incident was reported and seeing that charges have still not been brought, ProFootballTalk.com wonders if charges will ever be brought.
"Lock-step corroboration of Hanson's story by three witnesses having no natural incentive to corroborate Hanson's version would have and should have triggered a much quicker decision on whether to charge Cable with assault," says PFT writer Mike Florio, an attorney himself. "Indeed, no deliberation would have been required."
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"We're told by a source with knowledge of the investigation that the three assistants did not corroborate Hanson's story," Florio writes, "And that as a result charges are not expected to be filed against Cable."
If criminal charges are not brought against Tom Cable, it's not necessarily a letdown for Randy Hanson. Hanson is likely saving his gunpowder for the civil case against Cable, because that's where the settlement check would come from. "We have no idea whether charges will be coming," McGuinn told the NFL Network, sounding not at all concerned about the criminal charges. "That will strictly be determined by the police and the DA's office. We have no input."
But avoiding criminal charges would get Tom Cable off the hook with the NFL. The league seems to be taking its cues from the Napa Police Department. Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Associated Press that the NFL is "allowing the criminal process to go forward for some period of time" before rendering their judgment.
If the criminal process exonerates Cable, the NFL is likely to do the same.
So take heart, Raiders fans! Your 2-4 coach with the lowest-scoring offense in franchise history may be completely secure in his job!
