Former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle has been arrested yet again, this time on suspicion of rape. According to a report from The Wichita Eagle, Randle was arrested by police early Friday morning in connection with an alleged rape that took place late Thursday night.
Per the Eagle's review of the police report:
Wichita police Officer Charley Davidson said police responded to a rape-in-progress call at an apartment complex near K-96 and Rock Road and located a woman who reported being sexually assaulted by Randle.
The woman had minor injuries to her face, Davidson said in a news release about the arrest.
The alleged rape happened between 9 p.m. on Thursday and 1:11 a.m. on Friday, according to a police report filed in the case.
The report says Wichita police suspected Randle of using alcohol at the time of the offense.
Sedgwick County Jail records show 26-year-old Randle was booked on suspicion of rape at 3:43 a.m. on Friday. His bond has not been set. He was also booked on suspicion of a probation violation.
Randle has been arrested several times over the past few years, and recently spent two years in jail. During his incarceration, Randle was charged with assaulting a fellow inmate, resulting in one count of aggravated battery and one count of disorderly conduct:
The victim in the battery case is 32-year-old Derrick D. Cottner, District Judge Jeff Goering told Randle, who appeared via a video link that broadcasts from a room in the jail into the courtroom.
"The state is charging me for running from somebody?" Randle asked after Goering announced the charges and that the case carried a $7,500 bond.
"The state is charging you with aggravated battery and disorderly conduct," Goering said.
"For getting punched in the face," Randle said, his voice trailing off.
"I don't know what the facts of the case are, sir," Goering replied. "I'm just here to tell you what you're being charged with, what your court date is and what your bond is."
Later, Randle told the judge that the other inmate involved in the alleged assault "seemed frustrated" that a court hearing had been moved to a different date, and "he punched me in the face. I defended myself. I ran in my room." Inmates are "getting antsy" over postponements, he added.
"Well, saying it and proving it are two different things, Mr. Randle," Goering replied. "The state has the burden to prove these charges against you, and they may not be able to prove these charges against you. I don't know."
Randle remained in jail on Wednesday, according to online jail booking records. Including the amount in the new case, his bonds now total $59,000.
Since 2014, according to the sentencing report from Randle's original case, he has has been convicted in Sedgwick County, Oklahoma, of aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, criminal threat, possession of marijuana, interference with law enforcement, disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property. Many of those convictions stemmed from an incident where he allegedly hit three people with a car in February 2016 after he got upset over a game of beer pong when a player purportedly used a racial slur. After being asked to leave, Randle allegedly backed his car into several party attendees.
Randle's legal issues began with a seemingly minor case of shoplifting a pair of underwear when he was with the Cowboys. He was expected to take on a larger role with the team the following season but he began dealing with much more serious issues and he was eventually released. As the Eagle noted, he has spent much of the past two years in prison and is currently both on probation (the alleged rape amounts to a probation violation as well) and awaiting sentencing in a different felony case, which was set to take place on October 9.
