Charges dropped against former Ute Dominique Hatfield


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SALT LAKE CITY — The state of Utah has dropped all charges against former University of Utah football player Dominique Hatfield Thursday, citing evidence questions.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill dropped charges against Hatfield, saying the prosecution needed further evidence for a case to move forward.

"Since the case was filed with the court, new evidence has been received and examined that casts doubt on the defendant's guilt of the crimes as alleged in the original information," Gill said in the state's motion to dismiss the case. "This evidence will require further investigation before proceeding with the prosecution in this matter."

Hatfield was arrested earlier this month after allegedly robbing an individual at knifepoint and stealing money from the victim who was looking to buy an Xbox from a classified ad. Prosecutors reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby Maverik convenience store and found that Hatfield was not a "principle" person involved with the incident.

"We received additional information when we filed the charges that indicated that Mr. Hatfield was not the principle involved in the actual robbery," Salt Lake County District Attorney chief deputy Blake Nakamura told KSL. "The additional information has caused us to look into some other areas of information, and we're continuing to do that. Until we really review all the information, we won't be able to conclude this matter."


It was a video tape created by the people at the Maverik that depicts the person very clearly, who is identified as the armed robber. And that person, very clearly, is not Dominique Hatfield.

–Greg Skordas


"It was a video tape created by the people at the Maverik that depicts the person very clearly, who is identified as the armed robber," Hatfield's attorney Greg Skordas told KSL. "And that person, very clearly, is not Dominique Hatfield."

Skordas said he doesn't expect the armed robbery charges to be filed again against Hatfield, but that misdemeanor charges relating to stolen cellphones could be raised at a later time.

"Whether the district attorney's office decides to still run with that remains to be seen. But they dismissed that charge for now," he said.

Hatfield was dismissed from the University of Utah football program on July 10 after head coach Kyle Whittingham said he had developed "further concerns" that lead for his dismissal.

Whittingham was not available for comment Thursday.

Skordas said he hopes the University of Utah will give Hatfield a second chance based on the recent developments of the alleged incident.

"He lost not only his position on the team, he lost his scholarship," Skordas said. "He's home in California and doesn't have the ability to attend college without that scholarship. I'm hoping someone will take a second look at that decision."

All the charges have been drop thank god! Just wanna clear my name up — HattyF (@_HattyF) July 16, 2015

More information will be posted when it become available.

Contributing: Brianna Bodily

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