How Does Derrius Guice Differ From Cody Latimer?

Derrius Guice's attorney fired off the cannons late Friday night in defense of his new client, who he's probably known for hours.

Statement from Derrius Guice attorney: pic.twitter.com/Dso53AtkzF
— John Keim (@john_keim) August 8, 2020

You had to know a passionate defense was coming from an attorney who says his client is misunderstood.

However, the attorney in this case makes a fair point that the Washington Football Team rushed to judgement by releasing Guice while also pointing a finger at the Loudoun County, Virginia Sheriff's office.

Guice was arrested on five different charges, including one felony count of strangulation. He was immediately released by the organization.

I don't know about you but I believe roughly about 2.8% of what defense attorney's claim and say. That's their job. To defend their client, who more often than not made a terrible choice and put themselves in a position to be arrested.

That being said - while Guice's new attorney did not point this out - I will.

How and why is Derrius Guice being treated by the Washington Football Team different than Cody Latimer?

Latimer was arrested in late May on five total charges including three felony counts in Colorado, yet is still in the Washington Football Team organization while on the NFL Commissioner's Exempt List.

Latimer may have been defending his young son at the time and certainly if that's the case, some of his anger and actions may be understandable.

It doesn't excuse Latimer in any way. We live in a society that you can't take justice into your own hands (with certain exception) and to be quite honest, Latimer should have been released by the organization at that point.

I wrote about it (and did video above) then and I believe it now.

He wasn't and we have not been able to get the answer to that just yet from Ron Rivera because of other situations being more pressing.

I believe Guice was rightfully terminated Friday night as well. I understand the other side of the argument that he could be in a situation that he was set up.

I strongly believe with the time that has elapsed in between the alleged incidents that if something had happened along those lines, two different police groups (Montgomery County, Maryland and Loudoun County, Virginia) would have been able to expose the fact that nothing happened.

Maybe I'm wrong?

The organization has every right as a private employer to terminate Guice for his arrest and the nature of the charges. No company, even one with the incredibly poor history that this one has, should have to get destroyed by the public, for standing by their employee.

The other issue is this: This staff that is making the decisions chose Latimer. They didn't choose Guice.

Even though they are clearly different players and Guice is much more valuable - that difference counts.

We have no idea what the book was on Guice in the Carolina Panthers organization when Rivera and many of the same coaches and personnel men were running the ship over there two years ago.

He had a terrible reputation coming out and managed to completely charm the pants off of this fanbase with his smile and by going to the movies with fans.

There was a strong reason(s) why he dropped so low into the second round and it wasn't just because of injury concerns and his position. Trust me.

Everyone knew it. We all understood that Washington was taking a major gamble.

If Carolina had a bad gut feel for Guice at the time and then Rivera deals with this early on in his tenure - it's hard to blame him for snapping and dropping the hammer.

The one area that I can't quite figure out is this: These alleged incidents happened in February, March and April.

The Washington Football Team said "On Thursday, we learned of a potential domestic violence incident." The team said they immediately alerted the NFL and met with Guice.

How did they not know about three reported incidents that long ago? How did the Maryland authorities and then Loudoun County authorities not even alert the organization in any way? Or the National Football League?

How does Guice not say something? Something is strange and doesn't add up.

We knew immediately about Latimer. It took four months from the last incident to find out about Guice?

Maybe they knew something but didn't know it all?

Perhaps that's why the organization signed veteran running backs and drafted another?

Who knows.

Something just doesn't feel right and it's not just how they held onto Latimer but chopped down Guice immediately. They should have cut both. They chose one.

Every situation is different and some have similarities. Clearly that is the case here but I am fascinated to know what the difference is.

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Chris Russell is the Publisher of this site, a part of SI.com. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Washington Football Team" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621