Tom Cable, Randy Hanson in Limbo as DA Mulls 'Textbook Felony Assault Case'

While Oakland coach Tom Cable prepares a struggling Raiders team to face the undefeated New York Giants on the road Sunday, his personal and professional fate rests in evidence currently under review by Napa County (Calif.) district attorney Gary Lieberstein.

The DA ultimately will determine whether criminal charges will be brought against Cable for allegedly attacking and fracturing the jaw of Raiders defensive assistant Randy Hanson during a training camp coaches' meeting on Aug. 5.

But a two-month investigation into the incident by the Napa Police Department turned up substantial evidence of assault and bodily injury sustained by Hanson (including medical records proving serious injury), plus corroborating witness statements from other coaches present during the altercation.

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So what does Lieberstein have before him?

"Clear-cut evidence," said Hanson's San Francisco-based attorney John McGuinn, who told FanHouse that Cable attacked his client "out of the blue, totally without warning" during a defensive coaches' staff meeting, and that Hanson provided Napa police with X-rays clearly showing a fracture of Hanson's upper left jaw bone.

"This really is a textbook felony assault case," McGuinn said, "but the bigger question going forward for Randy is this: What is going to happen to his future in the NFL?

"What Cable did was totally inexcusable. It was wrong. Thank God that Randy didn't sustain any life-threatening or career-threatening injuries. He's a healthy young man and he'll be fine. But he is really in career limbo now. Where does Randy Hanson go from here? He'd like to return to his Raiders coaching job, because that position was his life-long dream, working with players and working for [Raiders owner] Al Davis."

McGuinn, who specializes in employment and labor law, as well as personal injury matters, said Hanson was examined on Monday at Queen of the Valley Hospital and a follow-up X-ray revealed that the jaw fracture has healed.

Don Yee, an attorney and agent who represents Cable as well as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in football matters, declined any comment on the case because it is a pending legal proceeding.

Cable, however, has retained a criminal defense attorney as he awaits Lieberstein's decision.

Hanson, 41, also sustained two cracked teeth during the altercation that occurred in a room adjacent to Cable's room at the Marriott-Napa Valley, a hotel that serves as the Raiders' training camp headquarters.

Police interviewed other Raiders assistant coaches who witnessed the assault, and Hanson finally agreed to identify Cable as his attacker to law enforcement during a meeting with Napa police on Sept. 26.

If charged and convicted of the felony charges under California Penal Code Section 245 (a)( 1), Cable, 44, could receive a maximum sentence of four years in a state prison, and a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both the fine and imprisonment.

It's possible -- and more likely -- that Cable's defense attorney could work out an agreement with the Napa DA that involves a guilty plea to a lesser charge of misdemeanor assault and battery in order to avoid a jury trial. Cable could then receive a minimal sentence in the county jail, or even a suspended sentence.

If he pleads guilty to a lesser misdemeanor count, Cable could be sentenced to no more than six months in county jail and a fine not exceeding $2,000, or both.

Cable has publicly denied he struck Hanson. When FanHouse broke the story on Aug. 17 that Cable was Hanson's attacker, Cable responded the next day by saying "nothing happened," and later suggested, "when the facts come out, everything will be fine."

With felony charges being considered, Cable is subject to suspension and fines by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has broad powers to punish league employees and players who violate the strict NFL Personal Conduct Policy. Goodell has suspended players charged with crimes but whose cases were still being adjudicated.

"We're closely monitoring the case and will continue to monitor the case. We like to make sure we understand what all the facts are before we comment on it," Goodell said Tuesday.

"When the appropriate time comes, we will speak to the coach. The personal-conduct rule applies to everyone in the NFL, from the commissioner to the players and including coaches."

The conduct policy specifically prohibits "violent or threatening behavior, whether in or outside the workplace."

It is widely expected Cable will meet with Goodell prior to Sunday's game at Giants Stadium. Oakland typically travels on Friday to game sites on the East coast.

In a 90-minute interview with Napa police detective Mike Walund on Sept. 26, McGuinn said Hanson turned over all his medical records -- including those from a mid-August visit to a hospital near Hanson's home in Pleasanton, Calif., in which the assistant coach was treated for recurring jaw pain and swelling.

During his meeting with police, Hanson identified Cable as the person who struck him and described the attack in specific detail:

In the early evening of Aug. 5 at the Marriott-Napa Valley, Cable called a closed-door meeting and asked Hanson -- who is still listed on the Raiders' Web site as a defensive assistant -- to attend, along with defensive coordinator John Marshall, defensive backs coach Lionel Washington and defensive backs assistant/squad development coach Willie Brown.

Hanson told detectives that Cable sat at the head of a small rectangular table, with Marshall at the opposite end. Washington sat at Cable's immediate left, and Hanson was seated next to Washington. Brown sat across from Washington and Hanson, to Cable's right.

Cable called the meeting to address Hanson's dealings with the defensive backs. "The players are confused by you, Randy," Cable allegedly told Hanson. He also reportedly told Hanson that he was being relegated to film work and would no longer be allowed to work directly with the defensive backs. "John Marshall says he has talked to you about this," Cable told Hanson.

According to the Hanson's statement, he turned to Marshall and said, 'That's a lie, John!" and Hanson insisted that Marshall had not previously mentioned anything about a communication problem with the defensive backs.

At that point, Hanson told police he was blindly body slammed by Cable into the wall behind Marshall with such force that he was thrown out of his chair and into a small table next to the wall. The table had a small lamp on it and both were overturned and broken in the scuffle.

According to Hanson's account, the other coaches in the room began yelling, "Tom, what are you doing?" as Cable put his right hand against Hanson's face and shoved his left cheek against the wall. Hanson told police he could feel his upper jaw being crushed into the wall.

The other coaches pulled Cable from Hanson, but an enraged Cable broke their grasp and attacked Hanson a second time, allegedly screaming, "I'm going to kill you!" over and over as he kept a hand around Hanson's throat.
After the altercation was broken up the second time, Hanson told police he left the meeting room and returned to his room at the Marriott. He lay down on the bed, but immediately began experiencing severe pain and swelling in the left jaw area that Cable had shoved directly against the wall.

Around midnight, Hanson said he grew alarmed by his injuries and called Jim Otten, the Raiders' longtime video operations specialist, who was aware of the skirmish. Hanson went to Otten's room, and the two determined that Hanson needed to seek medical treatment immediately.

Hanson then reported to the emergency room at Queen of The Valley hospital in Napa in the early morning hours of Aug. 6. At that time, Napa police were summoned to take a statement because of the nature of Hanson's injuries. Hospital officials followed protocol in notifying law enforcement. X-rays determined that Hanson had sustained a jaw fracture.

As Hanson was being treated by the emergency room personnel, he initially was reluctant to name his attacker as he was being interviewed by Napa police.

Later, Cable and Davis informed Hanson that he no longer could return to his coaching position and offered three alternatives: join the Raiders' personnel department; continue with the film duties Cable had given him; or simply have Davis honor the remainder of Hanson's contract. If Hanson chose that option, he would not be permitted to work for the organization any longer.

Hanson declined all of the options and hired McGuinn, after he determined the Raiders would not allow him to return to his coaching position.

"His entire life, all Randy wanted to do was coach for Al Davis and be a part of the Oakland Raiders," McGuinn said. "He's one of those people who can tell you every detail about the Raiders' history. That's how much Randy loves the organization. He worked day and night for Al Davis. He was devoted to his job."