Joseph Randle Released on Bond, Will Serve 5-Year Probation

The latest chapter in what has been the mostly sad story of Joseph Randle finds the former Oklahoma State and Dallas Cowboy running back out of jail after nearly two years.

According to a report by the The Wichita Eagle, Randle has been sentenced to five years of probation for an incident which occurred at a housewarming party in Wichita two years ago.

The incident, which he was convicted for last April, involved an aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, criminal threat and marijuana possession for allegedly hitting three people with a car after the home owner, Loy Alexander, told him to leave. Randle reportedly backed into those people, including Alexander while leaving before returning and forcing his way into the house.

The judge ordered Randle to pay $3,000 in restitution to one of the victims. He and his attorneys also settled four other pending cases as well. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors — criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct, and no contest to two felonies — interference with an officer and aggravated battery. He will be sentenced for those felonies in August.

In the meantime, Randle has to stay out of trouble to avoid incarceration.

While he’s on probation, Randle must continue therapy and treatment programs, take medication prescribed to him, be in his home for curfew between midnight and 6 a.m. unless he’s working or in school and stay away from drugs and alcohol, the judge said. [The Wichita Eagle]

But it looks like Randle has benefited from his time in treatment.

“It appears that his stay at Larned State Hospital has made a world of difference in Mr. Randle,” Osburn said in court. “Continued medication and therapy would be in the best interest of this defendant,” she said. Randle’s attorney agreed. [The Wichita Eagle]

After back-to-back all-conference first-team seasons at OSU, Randle was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He served a backup role for two years before earning the starting job after DeMarco Murray left in free agency.

Randle started the first six games of 2015 before a somewhat minor injury ultimately ended his professional career. The Cowboys released Randle in November of 2015 following his second arrest and suspension by the NFL.

It’s easy for us to measure success and failures with stats or wins and losses. But the people that we cover/watch/root for on Saturdays (and even Sundays) are just that –people. Hopefully Randle continues to take advantage of treatment and can find some kind of peace. Hopefully, the next time we read about him, we get some good news.