Big Ben settles Lake Tahoe lawsuit

[jtnc]

In July 2009, not long after PFT joined forces with NBC, Rosenthal caught wind from a tipster of a possible lawsuit filed against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in Nevada.

One thing led to another, and before long we had a copy of the civil complaint accusing Roethlisberger of raping a casino host at Harrah’s resort in Lake Tahoe. Roethlisberger allegedly lured the woman to his hotel room by claiming that his television needed to be fixed.

More than 30 months later, the case has been settled.

First reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, neither side is talking about the settlement. Per the Associated Press, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Cal Dunlap said “the matter has been resolved.”

That’s common practice for the resolution of civil lawsuits. The formal document settling the claims routinely contains a confidentiality agreement, pursuant to which the plaintiff and the plaintiff’s lawyer agree that they will restrict any public or private comments to a simple statement that “the matter has been resolved.”

And so speculation will occur regarding the amount, if any, that Roethlisberger paid to make the case go away. In many cases, the defendant will agree to pay to the plaintiff the estimated amount of the cost of defending the case through trial. The formal settlement papers then will include a recognition that the payment does not reflect an admission of guilt or liability of any kind.

Roethlisberger seemed to concede in prior court papers that sexual activity occurred, but he at all times denied the allegation that the conduct was non-consensual. In the early stages of the litigation, email messages surfaced suggesting that the alleged victim was smitten with Roethlisberger and planned to pursue him. The case disappeared from view due to a procedural fight regarding whether it had been filed in the right Nevada county, and the matter later was eclipsed by sexual assault allegations made against Roethlisberger by a college student in Milledgeville, Georgia. Though Roethlisberger never was charged with any crime, the league suspended him for the first six games of the 2010 season. The suspension later was reduced to four games.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/20/big-ben-settles-lake-tahoe-lawsuit/

And he gets away with rape once again.

[PantherBase]

Shouldn't he be rottin in jail somewhere?

Instead he's able to play football and make millions of dollars

[Kevin Greene]

Why didn't she prosecute? After a criminal trial then she could still go civil for the money.

Is there not enough evidence for the cops to prosecute without her testimony?

[YoungPanthers89]

fuggin rapist

[footballisasport]

Why didn't she prosecute? After a criminal trial then she could still go civil for the money.Is there not enough evidence for the cops to prosecute without her testimony?

Simply because it's easier to prove a rape between two consenting adults in a civil case rather than a crimal case. One doesn't need to go to the level of "without reasonable doubt."

[Kevin Greene]

Simply because it's easier to prove a rape between two consenting adults in a civil case rather than a crimal case. One doesn't need to go to the level of "without reasonable doubt."

yes, but this proves nothing and is a mere inconvenience to a multi millionaire like Rothlisberger. If I was the women and believed I was raped nothing short of criminal prosecution would do.

[HominyISharmonious]

Please, she was out for the money is all.

[Leeroy Jenkins PhD]

I hate defending Ben here guys, but if you took the time to learn the details of this case, the girl in question was seriously suspect.

People she worked with went on the record saying that she had told them about her plan to trap Ben before that took place.

Now, I ain't saying he didn't take advantage of a drunk 20 year old girl in a bathroom in GA. But, I don't believe he "forced" sex with this girl. All that being said, I wasn't there.

[chef17]

Simply because it's easier to prove a rape between two consenting adults in a civil case rather than a crimal case. One doesn't need to go to the level of "without reasonable doubt."

How do you prove rape between two consenting adults? If they both consent to it then it isn't rape. Maybe I misunderstood what you meant but that doesn't make sense

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

the lake tahoe incident was suspect and looking at the ins and outs (lol get it) of that case makes it seem like consensual sex turned into a cash-in attempt.

the georgia thing was all kinds of fuged up and he should be in jail for that.

[HominyISharmonious]

the lake tahoe incident was suspect and looking at the ins and outs (lol get it) of that case makes it seem like consensual sex turned into a cash-in attempt.

the georgia thing was all kinds of fuged up and he should be in jail for that.

I disagree. If the state had a case they would have prosecuted.

[Darth Biscuit]

I hate defending Ben here guys, but if you took the time to learn the details of this case, the girl in question was seriously suspect.

People she worked with went on the record saying that she had told them about her plan to trap Ben before that took place.

Now, I ain't saying he didn't take advantage of a drunk 20 year old girl in a bathroom in GA. But, I don't believe he "forced" sex with this girl. All that being said, I wasn't there.

If this woman was actually raped, she deserves the money and he deserves to be prosecuted... BUT, if she didn't want to take it to trial and agreed to the settlement, what's done is done.

FWIW, which isn't much... my personal feeling here is that he had/has alcohol issues and got himself into situations where he made very poor decisions regarding women, and like a lot of other star athletes, he thought the rules didn't really apply to him. Is it possible he raped these women, absolutely... is it more likely that both situations were alcohol induced idiocy on the part of him and the women that simply got out of control... I think that is far more likely.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

I disagree. If the state had a case they would have prosecuted.

yes mr. manbaby i remember from the tinderbox how you feel about rape

[Hawk]

at the end of the day, more women need to have the courage to press charges and stick with it until the end. This case does smell a little fishy, no pun intended, but I think Facelikeburger had already proven he's a piece of poo rapist anyway.