The Detroit Lions have released Terrion Arnold after he was arrested last week on felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping, the team announced Monday.
Arnold had his bond set at $1 million Monday by Hillsborough County (Florida) Judge Christopher Sabella, who added the following conditions:
He is not allowed contact with the six co-defendants or the witnesses in the case. He must surrender his passport within 48 hours. And he was ordered confined to his residence in Tallahassee, Florida, except when he would be playing, training and traveling with the Lions or making court-related appearances or legal appointments. The state asked the judge to require Arnold to wear a GPS tracking device, but his attorneys argued that he would not be able to play football with such a device.
Prosecutors had wanted Arnold held without bond Sabella granted bond to him. Sabella said that although the charges are serious -- four counts each of kidnapping and armed robbery that could bring a life sentence if Arnold is convicted -- prosecutors are "not there yet" in showing a strong case for Arnold's guilt.
Arnold, 23, has been in custody since Wednesday night, when he turned himself in. Authorities accuse him of orchestrating the abduction and beating of three men whom prosecutors believe he wrongly suspected of having stolen luxury goods and $100,000 in cash from him.
According to prosecutors, the victims were abducted three days after cash and luxury items, including Rolex watches and Louis Vuitton bags, were reported stolen from Arnold at an Airbnb rental in the Tampa area. Prosecutors say that six of Arnold's associates carried out the crimes by holding, beating and pistol-whipping the victims and that Arnold wasn't there at the time.
None of Arnold's co-defendants had bond set for them. Two female co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with authorities. Their statements tie Arnold to the crimes even though he was not at the apartment, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors argue that Arnold is as responsible for the crimes as his co-defendants because he told his associates that he thought he knew who had stolen from him and said that he wanted to confront them, setting events in motion.
"Our office remains committed to seeking justice for the three victims in the case who were beaten, robbed, and held against their will," said Erin Maloney, a spokesperson for the state attorney's office.
But Harvey Steinberg, an attorney for Arnold, argued in court Monday that prosecutors are "not even close" to showing that the player knew or directed what his associates would do.