As his trial on federal charges was approaching, former NFL defensive lineman Sean Jones has somehow finagled a My Cousin Vinny outcome, with all of the counts of the indictment being dismissed.

“I have represented Sean for a long time, and there’s no doubt in my mind that this dismissal of the charges against him is the right result,” said Jones’ lawyer, Thomas Hagemann, in a press release that (inexplicably) was sent to us in advance of its broader dissemination on Thursday morning. Said Jones:  “Being out of the NFL last year was very difficult to say the least, but it did give me time to focus on my family, friends and faith.  There’s more to be said down the road, but right now, I’m just grateful that this nightmare is over.   I’ll enjoy that thought for a few weeks and then start tackling my future opportunities.” 

Last year, Jones was named along with four others in a twelve-count indictment arising from an alleged mortgage fraud scheme.  Jones entered no plea and made no concession in order to achieve the dismissal of the charges.

Though we’re not privy to any stats in this regard, it’s very rare that federal prosecutors will walk away from criminal charges that have resulted in an indictment.  Usually, the feds don’t even pursue an indictment unless they believe that they have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

The reason for the decision to dismiss the charges is presently unknown.