Allegations Surround Ben Roethlisberger

I’m finally breaking my silence on Ben Roethlisberger’s alleged (and I emphasize the word alleged) sexual assault case because I feel like it’s my job to say something. To recap the story, a woman has filed a civil lawsuit in Reno, Nevada, accusing Ben of sexually assaulting her last summer—yes, last summer—in his penthouse room at a Harrah’s casino in Lake Tahoe during a celebrity golf tournament. One year after the alleged incident, she’s suing for sexual assault and battery, false imprisonment and infliction of emotional distress.

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers / Image: Zuma Press

From what I’ve gathered from a number of sources, there doesn’t seem to be any validity to the woman’s accusations as she appears to be rather unstable. In saying that, let it be known I would be the first person to hope a guilty athlete gets what he or she deserves in terms of just punishment for any crime. I don’t put any of these guys (or gals) up on a pedestal because of who they are. And I’m tired of prima donna (in the “I’m untouchable” sense) ball players getting away with murder—literally in some instances.

But back to this particular case. First of all, no criminal charges have been filed. So local authorities won’t open a criminal investigation into the matter unless the woman files a complaint—which she has not done because she’s apparently afraid of losing her job. So, I’m wondering why she waited a year before making this information public knowledge?

Ben’s agent, David Cornwell, made the following statement yesterday:

“Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone. The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct. If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully and Ben will be fully exonerated.”

I was hesitant to write anything about this “case” because it seems like another example of someone trying to get national attention at the expense of a famous athlete. ESPN hasn’t even reported on the story because they feel it doesn’t meet their standard of reporting. They’re concerned about damaging Ben’s otherwise good reputation and I can’t say I blame them.

That’s really a big part of the problem here. Anyone can come out and accuse an athlete of a crime he or she didn’t commit. That information, in turn, gets into the media and the next thing you know, everyone has an incorrect assumption about a person. Take Buffalo Bills fullback Corey McIntyre as a recent example. Some woman accused him of indecent exposure (etc.) in Florida and the next thing you know, everyone thinks Corey is some kind of freak. As it turns out, Corey was cleared of all charges after being wrongfully arrested. But his reputation and name took a nasty hit in the process.

Now, I can’t help but think Ben Roethlisberger’s situation could’ve been averted had he simply not (allegedly) slept with someone he obviously didn’t know very well. It’s just unfortunate desperate people try to become famous (and/or rich) at the expense of a well-known athlete. The media—in general—”takes the bait” because there’s money to be made with a shocking headline. The result is the potential ruination of an athlete’s reputation. Some people try to take advantage and their stories—no matter how far from the truth—end up as “front page news.”

Sources: NFL.com, TMZ.com, TMZ.com