USAT: Giants Wire audio clip

USAT: Giants Wire

Mar 14, 2022

The trial for Francisco Mendez, accused of killing Dwane Simmons and injuring former New York Giants cornerback Corey Ballentine, will begin on Monday. - Police say Mendez opened fired on a group of Washburn football players and other off-campus partygoers in Topeka, Kansas on the third night of the 2019 NFL draft. Hours earlier, Ballentine had been selected by the Giants at No. 180 overall. - Simmons died from a gunshot wound to the head, while Ballentine was struck in his lower backside. After an extensive investigation, Mendez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. He also faced several charges stemming form unrelated incidents. - “I think he helped me get here every step of the way,” Ballentine said of Simmons in July of 2019. “When I was out on the field myself, he would come out and join me and I kind of feeling I’m doing it for both of us. If he was here now, he would love to see where I’m at now. - “I’m going to keep him in my heart and at the same time strive for the goals of the team and my own personal goals and just do my best.” - Simmons was a cornerback for Washburn’s football team, where Ballentine played before being drafted by the Giants. Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran said that the two friends were “in the wrong place at the wrong time” when they were shot. - Ballentine spent his first season and a half with the Giants before being waived in November of 2020. He was later claimed by the New York Jets and remained in East Rutherford through the 2020 season. - In 2021, Ballentine spent the season with the Detroit Lions. He was signed to a reserve/futures deal by the Atlanta Falcons this past January. - - RelatedGiants' Corey Ballentine testifies against man who shot him, murdered friend18-year-old charged with murder in fatal shooting that injured Corey BallentineGiants sent reps to support Corey Ballentine during friend's funeral - - - - - - - - Email - - - - Sign up - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Giants Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - An error has occured - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - You'll now receive the top Giants Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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