A reader has forwarded to us a copy of the “declaration of warrant/summons” issued on April 18 in connection with the arrest of Arvin Kenti Edwards, the man accused of opening fire outside of a Las Vegas strip club in February 2007.

The document helps to clarify recent reports regarding the nature of the $15,000 payment that Edwards thereafter pursued from Titans cornerback Pacman Jones.  It seemed to be hush money, but it was characterized by Jones as money that was paid only because Edwards threatened to come after Jones and/or his family.

As it turns out, Edwards initially wanted the money because he believed that Jones had ordered a hit.

Jones made the disclosure to Las Vegas police in September 2007, roughly seven months after the shooting.  He told authorities that, as he was leaving the Minxx club after the infamous “make it rain” altercation, a man approached Jones and told him that he would take care of the problem.  Jones says he wasn’t sure what the man was talking about, and that Jones replied by saying, “whatever.”  Moments later, Jones heard the popping of a gun and observed the same man shooting Tommy Urbanski and two others.

So, basically, the guy shot Urbanski and the other two people because he thought Jones had asked him to do it.  And, surely, Edwards’ version of the events will be different than Pacman’s “whatever” remark. 

Meanwhile, the report also states that a member of Pacman’s entourage previously had said that he would “f–k this motherf–ker” and that “[w]e’ll smoke his ass” in reference to one of the other persons who was shot.

Here’s our question.  What did Pacman Jones say to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in April 2007 or at any other time thereafter when asked about the Las Vegas incident?  Our guess is that Jones used the “I don’t know nothing” defense, which would be directly at odds with what Jones thereafter told police in Las Vegas, possibly at the urging of lawyers who feared that the authorities eventually would find the shooter, and that the shooter would claim that Pacman ordered the hit before Pacman could offer up a carefully spun version of the events.

Needless to say, the Cowboys might merely be loaning that fourth-round pick that was sent to the Titans earlier today for Jones.  Because we now suspect that, one way or another, Commissioner Roger Goodell will find a way to keep Jones out of the league in 2008.

Bottom line?  Jones paid a guy $15,000 for a hit, not because he ordered the hit but only because he feared that if he didn’t pay the money the guy would come after him.  And, amazingly, Jones opted not to alert the authorities to the threats from the man who was admitting to these crimes.

Pacman, we suggest that you hold off on trying on that silver helmet with the star.