The Greg Hardy drama took another turn yesterday when prosecutors were forced to drop the case after alleged victim Nicole Holder refused to cooperate with them. Without Holder’s personal testimony, the prosecution had insufficient evidence to go on and asked for a dismissal. A judge back in 2014 convicted Hardy when Holder cooperated, but Hardy appealed to a jury trial. That jury trial will now end without a conviction.
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This is a great boon to Hardy, who escapes whatever extra penalties the League might have assigned had he been found guilty. This does not mean that the League will not weigh in in some fashion. Hardy did miss all but one game last season by being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Hardy still finds himself as the first domestic violence man to pop up on the NFL’s radar since the Ray Rice situation made a mockery of it. The League has shown it will intervene regardless of court room convictions. Of course Hardy’s agents and lawyers will argue that with no conviction, there is no proof that the incident ever took place. Therefore, how can you punish Hardy for something that did not happen?
The Landry Hat
I think the NFL will take action against Hardy of a lower order. He made $13 million dollars last year by being ‘suspended.’ I imagine the League may issue some kind of fine based on the original conviction by the first judge back in 2014. What number will it look like? Hard to say, but the NFL has to be wary of the Rice situation where they were bashed for doing too little AND then too much.
Hardy’s court result was also the best thing for his free agency, giving an easy out to a prospective new team. The result probably does not perk up the Carolina Panthers’ interest. However some big money owners (Dallas) can now feel little compunction over signing Hardy.
The final wrinkle will be if the NFL acts before Hardy signs with a team. That could affect him too.