Score One For Raiders' Coach Tom Cable
This does not mean Cable's troubles are over. Hanson will likely file a civil lawsuit.
By LORI PREUITT
Updated 9:12 PM EDT, Thu, Oct 22, 2009
Score one for Tom Cable: The Raiders coach will not face criminal charges for an alleged attack on one of his assistants.
Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein made it official late Thursday, adding the evidence showed the man who claims Cable attacked him was not telling the truth.
"Our duty is to do the right thing for the right reasons," Lieberstein said. "Under the facts and circumstances of this case, it would be a miscarriage of justice to pursue criminal charges and we will not ask our citizens to give up their valuable time for jury duty, nor will we allow our criminal justice system to be compromised."
Former assistant coach Randy Hanson claims Cable attacked him on Aug. 5 during a meeting at a Napa hotel.
Hanson told Yahoo Sports Cable attacked him from behind and knocked him out of his chair causing his head hit a table. Hanson also alleged that Cable threatened to kill him before the other coaches pulled him away.
Lieberstein said his investigation came up with a very different story. He said the evidence showed Cable was angry and rushed toward Hanson, but was stopped by another coach. The DA described a three stooges type scene. He said the evidence showed that Cable became angry and rushed toward Hanson, but one of the assistants stepped between the coaches. Cable ran into the other assistant, who bumped into Hanson and knocked him out of his chair and on to the floor.
The witnesses said Cable grabbed Hanson by the shirt but never struck or threatened him.
"It should be further noted that within the past week and a half, Mr. Hanson showed up unannounced at the police department and made a statement to the effect that since the Raiders had not given him what he asked for, he would now fully cooperate with the prosecution," Lieberstein said.
Lieberstein said there were inconsistencies in what Hanson told the police and what he said in media interviews. He said those were not cleared up in a follow-up interview on Wednesday.
This does not mean Cable's troubles are over. Hanson will likely file a civil lawsuit.
Before the DA's announcement, Cable told reporters "no comment" repeatedly. And then, asked if he was looking forward to the matter being resolved, he broke down and commented anyway:
"Absolutely," he said. "That's something I will comment on. I coach this team. That's my job and I've been really focused on it. The fact that I believe in what's right is all I can say. Trust it."
Background: Hanson was one of the assistants hired for this year's staff before Cable had even gotten the job as head coach. Cable took over as interim coach last season when Lane Kiffin was fired after four games and reportedly tried to get rid of Hanson then, but owner Al Davis overruled him. Davis brought Hanson back on this season's staff a few weeks before announcing that Cable was hired as coach.
Hanson was also a key player in the dispute that helped lead to Kiffin's firing. Kiffin suspended Hanson after the assistant criticized the coaching staff in a meeting following a 41-14 season-opening loss to Denver. Davis later reinstated Hanson and Kiffin was fired a few weeks later
Avoiding criminal charges gets Tom Cable off the hook with the NFL. 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 judgment.
Consider judgment rendered.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Miami
First Published: Oct 22, 2009 1:44 PM EDT on NBC Bay Area
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