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Lawyer Ted Wells is expected to wrap up his investigation into the Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito relationship this week, according to sources, with a final slate of interviews with Dolphins players set for Monday and Tuesday. To this point there have been no blockbusters or smoking guns in terms of the evidence he has unearthed.
Wells is several weeks into his investigation and aside from the racially charged nature of some comments with Incognito, who is white, directing the N-word at African Americans, something already well known in this case, there do not appear to be any major discoveries thus far, according to sources with knowledge of the case. What had been learned about the complicated and racially insensitive relationship between Martin and Incognito will not look good for either of them, according to sources, but with many of Incognito’s transgressions already a part of the public record, it could end up being even more troubling for Martin, sources said.
Wells interviewed Martin for a second time last week, and also met again with Incognito on Thursday, sources said, and could have a difficult time in his judgment calls as to determining intent given the tricky nature of their relationship. Sources said within the relationship it was not uncommon for strange, race-based comments to be thrown around by both sides.
Sources said that while it is fairly clear that Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland and members of the coaching staff knew there was some unusual behavior being exhibited by the offensive linemen on the team, and Incognito and Martin in particular, figuring out true culpability will be a challenge. Furthermore, much of the contact was in private, via text, between just those parties, while not within the confines of the team facility, so determining how much of this was workplace harassment and how much was not endemic to the workplace presents another set of issues as well.
Wells is likely to wrap up his investigation next week and then turn over his findings to Commissioner Roger Goodell, who will then make a ruling based on Wells’ determinations and suggestions.
