CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Former Denver Broncos receiver Cody Latimer received two years’ probation, but no jail time, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from an incident involving a poker game argument in May 2020.
Latimer had 9 other charges, including four felonies, dismissed. He also had to pay $1,503.50 in probation and court fees. His attorney, Harvey Steinberg, believes Latimer should be immediately reinstated from the NFL commissioner’s exempt list after the receiver spent a year there because of the arrest on suspicion of assault and illegal discharge of a gun.
“I’m just glad it’s over,’’ Latimer said. “It’s been a long year.”
Latimer, now 28, still has a civil case pending from the incident. Roderick English, the victim in the case, filed suit for personal injury on May 11 in Douglas County Court.
Latimer was the Broncos’ second-round draft pick out of Indiana in 2014, but he never developed into the kind of receiver they had hoped, finishing with 35 catches for 445 yards and three touchdowns in his four seasons in Denver, although he did become one of their best special teams players for a few years.
He was more productive in two seasons with the Giants, especially in 2019 when he had a career-best 24 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns. It turned out to be the last time Latimer played. He signed with the Washington Football Club in April 2020 but following his arrest a month later was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and was released by Washington in August 2020.
According to the police report from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy responded to an apartment just after midnight May 16, 2020 in unincorporated Douglas County. The victim (now identified as English) told deputies that Latimer called to set up a poker game at the victim's apartment, the report says. About seven or eight people arrived at his apartment about 8 p.m., according to the report. Latimer was there, as well as the victim's girlfriend. The report says alcohol was being consumed during the poker game, by the victim and Latimer.
During the game, Latimer became involved in an argument with another person, the report says. The report did not mention what the argument was about. However, Latimer's attorney, Steinberg, stated during the initial court hearing that the argument involved an allegation of a sexual assault on a 4-year-old.
The victim told police he separated the two and kicked everyone out of his apartment. About 30 minutes later, Latimer returned to the apartment, the report says.
According to the victim, Latimer was agitated, angry and blamed him for his confrontation with the other person. The victim said Latimer then pulled out a black handgun from the pocket of his hoodie and said he saved two bullets for the victim and the victim's girlfriend, according to the police report.
Latimer waved the gun around, although he didn’t point it directly at the victim or the victim's girlfriend, the report says.
Latimer then said he would never hurt the victim or his girlfriend, according to the report, and emptied the magazine and cleared the chamber of his gun. But then Latimer became angry again and at one point fired two shots in close proximity to the victim, the police report says.
The victim then pinned Latimer against the wall, and Latimer struck him on top of the head with the gun, the police report says. He fell, maintaining hold of Latimer. Again, the victim pushed Latimer against the wall, and when Latimer told him to calm down, the altercation broke up, according to the police report.
Note: This story contains information from a July 24, 2020 story written by 9News’ Janet Oravetz.
