Four Suspects Offered Plea Deals in Assault on Paul Bissonnette

PHOENIX, Arizona — Four suspects accused of assaulting former Arizona Coyotes player Paul Bissonnette have been offered plea deals following an incident last November at a Scottsdale restaurant. Court documents received this week indicate that Sean Michael Daley is offered a deal to drop his disorderly conduct charge in exchange for a guilty plea to aggravated assault, a low-level class 6 felony.

Daley, along with three other suspects—Danny Bradley, John Gerrard Carroll, and Henry Peter Mesker—had initially faced charges of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. Daley’s lawyers claim he only intervened to defend a family member who had been knocked unconscious during the altercation.

“Daley is not a criminal nor is he a troublemaker,” his defense attorneys stated. They noted his actions were motivated by the need to protect his cousin and argued that the assaults should be seen in the context of Bissonnette’s history as a fighter in the NHL, where he accumulated 340 penalty minutes throughout his career.

The specifics of plea deals offered to the other three suspects have not been detailed. However, they appear to hinge on all suspects accepting their agreements. The attack took place on November 24, 2024, around 7:15 p.m. at Houston’s, where police recorded that Bissonnette attempted to intervene while facing harassment from the group.

Scottsdale authorities released 911 calls from Bissonnette, who insisted he was trying to maintain peace during the escalating conflict. The former NHL player, who was with the Coyotes from 2009 to 2014, has remained active in the media since his retirement.