Judge denies bond changes for former Cowboys player Joseph Randle

A Sedgwick County judge on Friday refused to further modify bond conditions for former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle after NFL lawyers said the organization didn’t want to be liable for transporting Randle to an inpatient mental treatment facility if he bails out of jail.

Randle’s attorney, James Crawford, asked Sedgwick County District Judge Kevin O’Connor to change the wording in the bond conditions set last month for Randle so he could be released directly to family instead of to the NFL Players Association and the football league’s security.

Crawford said NFL corporate attorneys were concerned about “adopting some liability” and wanted the change “so they are not somehow made a party to these criminal allegations” in two cases against Randle.

Earlier this year, O’Connor set bond conditions saying Randle was to be released directly to a designated representative of the NFL association and NFL security for transport to an NFL association inpatient mental health facility for at least 30 days of treatment if he posted a $45,000 bond. The option was recommended by the players association.

But O’Connor denied Crawford’s request Friday, saying it “is not my job to satisfy corporate lawyers.” He pointed out a string of modifications he already made Randle’s bond at the defense’s request, including decreasing it to $45,000 from the original $150,000.

“I’m not negotiating bond conditions with Mr. Randle. He is not calling the plays here,” O’Connor said.

“... If he is going to take advantage of this program, he is going to be released to NFL Players Association or NFL security, and this is because of his behavior, not anybody else’s.”

Sedgwick County Assistant District Attorney Alice Osburn also objected to changing the conditions of Randle’s bond, saying releasing him posed a risk to the community.

Randle is accused of backing his 2015 Honda Accord into two men and a woman after he was asked to leave a housewarming party at 8620 E. Scott on Feb. 21. An argument occurred first, according to police, and Randle later returned and forced his way into the home. He is awaiting a preliminary hearing on four counts of aggravated battery and one count each of criminal damage to property, criminal threat and marijuana possession.

He also is charged in a separate case with interfering with law enforcement for dodging their attempts to serve him with an arrest warrant issued after he failed to show up to court in the aggravated battery case.

The two cases are the latest in a string of legal troubles for the former NFL running back and Wichita Southeast High School standout. He was released from the Cowboys organization late last year.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Judge denies bond changes for former Cowboys player Joseph Randle."