RSSPolice Will Not Investigate Alleged Ben Roethlisberger Sexual Assault without Criminal Complaint … ESPN Finally Reports Assault
Nevada authorities and ESPN will not investigate alleged assault charges, both for much different reasons.
According to Nevada police, they do not intend on investigating the allegations of sexual assault by Pittsburgh Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger because there was no criminal complaint filed by the victim. An investigation into the alleged crime can only begin once there is a criminal complaint made. No one can fault Nevada authorities for not investigating a crime that they have no criminal complain for.
Teresa Duffy, a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy, told the AP that an investigation would be opened only if the woman accusing Roethlisberger files a criminal complaint or if another person witnessed the alleged incident.
The woman filed a lawsuit against Roethlisberger and eight other defendants Friday. The lawsuit said the woman did not contact police after the alleged incident because she believed that other hotel employees would support Roethlisberger.
However, ESPN is in a much different situation. Whether Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger is guilty or not of the alleged sexual assault allegations, ESPN is guilty of negligent reporting and pandering to athletes.
ESPN’s refusal to cover such a big sports story is criminal in itself. What are they afraid of, upsetting Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steeler organization so that they do not get access in the future? The following was ESPN’s lame response. I wonder if they would have taken this tact against Packman Jones or Michael Vick if they were in the same boat? ESPN should be ashamed of squelching free speech on the topic.
Oh, but wait, ESPN has an excuse when it comes to Pacman. ESPN says that in the case of Adam (Pacman) Jones it reported on a suit because of his long rap sheet. So with this brilliant wisdom, only people with rap sheets can commit possible crimes.
The decision has generated a torrent of criticism, particularly because Roethlisberger has had close ties to the network, both as a story subject and a paid promoter.
But ESPN was sticking to its guns as of Wednesday, citing its policy generally to avoid reporting on civil suits against sports figures.
“At this point, we are not reporting the allegations against Ben Roethlisberger because no criminal complaint has been filed,” the network said.
“As far as we know, this is a civil lawsuit that Roethlisberger has yet to address publicly.”
ESPN is not a court of law, they are the court of public sports opinion and should be ashamed for not have reported the story let alone allowed to have their listeners talk about the topic. Is it ESPN’s policy to spike stories? Shameful. How difficult could it possibly be to have made a reference that their is an allegation and states, no criminal complaint had ever been filed?
UPDATE I: Hold the Presses … BREAKING NEWS FROM ESPN, some 36 hours later … ESPN finally acknowledges accusations against Ben Roethlisberger
ESPN recognized the rape allegations against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger on Wednesday evening, more than 36 hours after the AP first reported the story.
ESPN had stayed silent on all its platforms as the story developed throughout Tuesday and early Wednesday. Andrea McNulty, 31, alleged in a civil suit that Roethlisberger raped her at a Nevada casino last year.
Football Star Is Accused, but ESPN Plays It Cautious
The only exception to its edict had been to let the ESPN Radio station in Pittsburgh update the case in news reports because of its local importance. But the station’s talk-show hosts have been prohibited from discussing it.
Posted July 23, 2009 by Scared Monkeys Celebrity, Crime, Media, Media Bias, Sports, WTF | 2 comments |
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2 Responses to “Police Will Not Investigate Alleged Ben Roethlisberger Sexual Assault without Criminal Complaint … ESPN Finally Reports Assault”
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ABC – Disney own ESPN….
And so what? Unlike most notworthy news reporting organizations, ESPN took the high road and decided to let some things sort themselves out. Maybe they were practicing some journalist integrity (not heard of today) and saw this story for what it was….MONEY and BULLSHIZ! There IS a reason the police will not conduct and criminal investigation BECAUSE there is nothing to investigate and maybe ESPN saw it for what is was too and decided not to make a big deal out of it.
Sorry Scott,
ESPN has an obligation to at least say there was an allegation. They do not have to do OJ or Kobe coverage. No one expects that.
However, they have covered stories of Pacman, Tyson, and God knows how many other people, players, and coached that had DUI’s.
They are sports news, they should have referenced the story when it was announced.
The reason why your answer does not hold water is why did ESPN finally announce the story 36 hrs later? If they were practicing journalistic integrity?
No one is accusing Big Ben of anything. However, the story was news. You do not just get to pick and choose what you think is or is not a crime. ESPN welcome to the MSM & journalistic integrity.
R