As the debate rages on as to whether or not an incriminating video actually exists of Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant engaged in some form of inappropriate behavior outside of a Wal-Mart in Texas, updates to the story have emerged, confirming certain details.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport released a report this morning which contained a police report from an incident in July 2011, in a Wal-Mart parking lot, involving Desmond Bryant, a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
You can check out the report here.
Meanwhile, Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reports that sources close to Bryant have revealed to him that they believe the tape does, in fact, exist.
"Well according to multiple sources that are close to Dez Bryant and aware of his business, basically they believe that the video does exist of this incident. The question is whether main-stream media can get to it through traditional forces. A number of media outlets have tried to get hold of the video but have been unsuccessful so far."
Cole also reports that the NFL is aware of the situation and has begun to look into it, though the NFLPA believes they don't have the right to punish Bryant.
In the police report, officers were called to the Wal-Mart after an anonymous caller reported seeing a female "being dragged from one vehicle to another vehicle" by a male. The second vehicle was identified as a white 2011 Mercedes Benz registered to Bryant.
A Wal-Mart security guard told the responding officer he was notified by an unknown person that there was a disturbance in the parking lot but that when he arrived there was no one present, but the Mercedes Benz had its door open and there was "a child's toy on the ground." Minutes later, a black Cadillac Escalade - also registered to Bryant - carrying two men, arrived and parked next to the Mercedes.
The two men offered the same story to the officer - they were called by the female to come pick up the white Mercedes, which is referred to as her car.
While the officer was speaking to the two men, a white Bentley bearing the female and Dez Bryant pulled into the parking lot. The female claimed to have had an argument with a man named Alex Penson, but that she was not injured and called Bryant to pick her up after Penson dropped her off at a friend's house. Bryant corroborated this story and no charges were filed.
It jibes at least somewhat with a recent rumor from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk which alleges that if any video actually exists, it is from a Wal-Mart security camera.
"In the interests of clarity regarding a still-unclear situation, the rumor as it has existed for several months is that the incident (if there was one) happened in the parking lot of a Dallas-area Wal-Mart, and that the footage (if there is any) was created by a surveillance camera owned and operated by Wal-Mart."
Rapoport reveals that the Cowboys - who have known about this particular incident "for some time" - and Bryant have failed to come together on a contract extension due to "their lack of off-the-field trust in the Pro Bowl receiver."
New contract negotiations have not been planned between the two sides, making the franchise tag a near-certainty.
Rapoport notes that in November, he reported on "six separate incidents" since 2011 involving police being called to Bryant's home. None of the incidents resulted in arrests, but the pattern of questionable behavior has the Cowboys concerned with Bryant "and some of the people he has associated with."
