Attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter said the Eastern District of New York determined Malik Beasley is not the target of the federal gambling investigation and that he remains uncharged. The attorneys emphasized that allegations without charges should not carry catastrophic consequences and contrasted the situation with the presumption of innocence. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment. The investigation previously halted Beasley's free-agent negotiations one day before free agency, and a proposed three-year, $42 million Pistons deal evaporated after the franchise learned of the inquiry. Beasley averaged 16.3 points, played all 82 games, and made 319 three-pointers last season.
"Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation," Haney told ESPN. "An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence." A spokesperson for the US. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York declined to comment on the matter on Friday.
ESPN reported on June 29 that Beasley was under a federal investigation -- which resulted in all of his free-agent negotiations and offers being halted one day before the official start of free agency. Sources said that Beasley and the Detroit Pistons were set to complete a three-year, $42 million contract to bring the 28-year-old guard back, but that proposal evaporated after the franchise became aware of the federal investigation and other interested teams paused conversations with Beasley as well, sources said.
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