Big Ben did it again (Middletown: how much, law, assault)

[groar]

yes, it certainly does happen, but i think it's more than a little disrespectful to real victims of sexual assault to assume that a charge is made up from the get-go because the accused perpetrator is rich and famous. accusing anyone of sexual assault is not exactly fun - it's a given that the way you dress, your sexual history, whether you were drinking, what you were wearing is going to go on trial along with the accused. there's a term for it - the second rape. add to that the fact that this woman is besmirching the reputation of a key member of a beloved football team - she WILL be getting death threats. maybe she is lying - maybe she didn't consider the consequences or maybe she thought a potential payoff would be worth it. but we JUST DON'T KNOW what actually happened.

on the flip side, it is also not fair to assume he did it. being falsely accused of sexual assault is horrific as well.

i just don't think making assumptions is fair to anyone at this point.

[hempfield mania]

Now you know what famous people date/marry famous people, even if they end up divorced or broken up after 6 months. No real incentive to make anything up if they are both celebrities. (not saying that is what happened here). Disappointing that he put himself in this position but from the initial reports of people that were in those establishments before the alleged incident happened, Ben wasn't be a "typical jock jerk" and was actually just nursing a beer, signing autographs and taking photos with people.

I can see why Ben could be a jerk to others, especially here in PGH. I wouldn't want to be continually harrassed by "fans" when I was out trying to take a jog, or eat lunch or dinner or continually mobbed for autographs every time I stepped foot into the public. Yeah, the first couple years might be nice but the novelty wears off rather quickly and then it is just a nuisance.

I'll reserve judgement but I'll hope for the best, for Ben's sake. If the allegations turn out to be true then, he deserves what happens to him.

[robrobrob]

Sexual assault is a vague term. Could mean rape, could mean a lot of things. I have no idea what the girl said happened. I guess we won't know until he is charge, if he is charged, what the girl said happened.

[hornet67]

Amazing, but not surprising that the yinzers defend this bonehead . Certainly, in both of his pending or existing cases, he is innocent until proven guilty, but I say he is proven guilty already of terribly bad judgement, and infantile, immature behavior.
What the hell is a 28 year old doing cruising college bars in Hicksville, GA? Does this nimrod not realize that the team has $102 million invested in him, and that he is the face of the franchise? Does he not realize he has SOME obligation to make some effort to act like a mature adult OFF the field? Apparently not; let's face it; he's had his a-- kissed since he was 12, and no one apppears to say no to him for anything. The sense of entitlement of these "elite " athletes seems to have no bounds.
My sense is that he has very good football intelligence, but in the real world, not so much.

[Dream Rainbow 24]

What is Sexual Assault?

What is Sexual Assault? (http://www.commerce.wa.gov/site/261/default.aspx - broken link)

Now lets say the second bar he went to was a strip club and while the woman was giving him a lap dance, he pulled out his weiner and tried to stick it in her. That is sexual assault. He didn't need to penetrate for it to be assault - all he has to do is something where the woman is not in control.

Very few women are convicted of sexual assault - unless it is a act performed on a child!

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Dream Rainbow 24

What is Sexual Assault?

What is Sexual Assault? (http://www.commerce.wa.gov/site/261/default.aspx - broken link)

That's for Washington, not Georgia.

Here's the official code of Georgia for sexual offenses:

Georgia Sexual Offenses

16-6-22.1. and 16-6-22.2. seem to be the closest wording to the term sexual assault.

[Hopes]

News reports: She went to the hospital for head trauma. Ben admits to consensual contact, but no intercourse.

[Renaldo5000]

Yeah, her head is hurting from excitement because of the thought of getting a cool million or two.

[BMSF]

He is innocent until proven guilty. IF he is found or admits to being GUILTY then we can judge him. Till then lets give the guy a break.

[BMSF]

Originally Posted by onepoint

I wouldn't pass judgment before the facts are laid out and the investigation runs its course. The guy has obviously made some questionable decisions off the field, but so far he hasn't been convicted or found liable of anything that I'm aware of.

We all need to keep this in mind before we judge his character.