Michael Irvin accused of forcible rape

[Eliza]

http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/14 ... ni_popular

[Arubalover]

I do not understand why these women take so long to file suit. They don't go to the police right away so a rape kit can be performed, and don't file criminal charges against the men. Instead they wait years and then file a civil suit.

I don't believe he did anything.

[pax]

Those are interesting observations Arubalover. I feel rape shield laws and newspaper policies that protect the accuser's identity should be dropped. Perhaps they once served a purpose. Now they are patronizing, used as a sword rather than shield, and are unfair to the right of the accused to confront the accuser. I detest 'exceptions' to due process. Sorry for going off on a tangent, lol. Have a nice weekend.

[Eliza]

I do not understand why these women take so long to file suit. They don't go to the police right away so a rape kit can be performed, and don't file criminal charges against the men. Instead they wait years and then file a civil suit.

I don't believe he did anything.

Many "Indian Casinos" are located on "Indian Reservations." The police, and all government, is controlled by the Indian Tribe that "owns" the "reservation" and "casino." Connect the dots.

The last thing the reservation, tribe, casino, police want is bad publicity.

Folks should be aware of this that they are entering at their own risk. It isn't like Vegas, AC, or even Tunica.

Scares customers and high rollers away. the bad PR does.

Ms. Doe filed a "police report" with the tribal police when the incident allegedly occured.

This story may have legs. It was disturbing to me that the victim reported that more than one individuals were involved in the rape.

What happens in an Indian casino, stays there.

[Arubalover]

Basically this woman doesn't want him prosecuted, she just wants a cash settlement.

You would think that if she was raped by him and forced to perform oral sex by another, she would want them sent to jail for their actions. I guess 2 years has mellowed the feelings of anger and now she just wants cash justice.

I can understand her not wanting to be raked across the coals by his attorney, but asking for a huge cash payment can easily be seen as extortion.

I don't blame him for not paying it.

[Eliza]

Basically this woman doesn't want him prosecuted, she just wants a cash settlement.

You would think that if she was raped by him and forced to perform oral sex by another, she would want them sent to jail for their actions. I guess 2 years has mellowed the feelings of anger and now she just wants cash justice.

I can understand her not wanting to be raked across the coals by his attorney, but asking for a huge cash payment can easily be seen as extortion.

I don't blame him for not paying it.

Irvin probably broke the promises he and his brother made to the victim. They conned her. She trusted them and shouldn't have.

Victims are often wooed by wealthy perpetrators, and their agents or "pimps" and bribed into not prosecuting, filing charges, or testifying.

Look at the bullets Michael Jackson dodged and paid off young victims to avoid jail time. His pay offs were in the millions.

Many of Tiger Woods conquests are lining up with attorneys like Gloria Alred in an attempt to turn a large payday.

Extortion? Hardly. Just two different sytems of justice. One for the common folks, or worker bees, and one system for the wealthy elitists and Hollywood types.

Perhaps Michael is getting advice from Kobe?

[gwen]

Michael Irvin sues accuser in rape case for $100 million

NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin fired back Friday against rape accusations with a $100 million lawsuit against his accuser.

Calling her ``morally bankrupt,'' the lawsuit filed in Dallas court alleges the woman is trying to destroy Irvin's reputation as a highly acclaimed sports broadcaster.

It also said she picked this week -- when Irvin was scheduled to be an on-air personality during South Florida's Super Bowl festivities -- to capitalize on the attention.

``This is nothing more than a weak attempt to extort a celebrity with baseless salacious allegations,'' the lawsuit read. Her allegations will cause ``the destruction of an innocent man's hard earned career.''

Irvin's lawsuit was filed the same day he was let go from his radio show which aired on ESPN radio in Dallas.

``His contract was up and the show has not performed,'' ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said in a statement. ``We had previously decided to cancel the show and determined this morning to make it effective today.''

But the NFL Network stood by Irvin, saying he would continue to work for them during the Super Bowl weekend.

A statement issued by the NFL said, ``We are aware that a civil lawsuit was filed. Our security department is looking into the allegations. According to Michael's lawyer, the accusations are `totally untrue.' He will be on-air this weekend.''

It was a whirlwind of developments for the Fort Lauderdale native.

On Thursday, a Broward County woman filed suit in Broward Circuit Court, accusing Irvin of raping her at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino over the July Fourth holiday 2007.

The woman, identified as Jane Doe in her lawsuit, claims Irvin tried to get her drunk, lured her to his hotel room and raped her. Another unidentified man also forced her to perform oral sex that night, she said.

She didn't report the alleged attack for two weeks. Seminole police investigated, but by that time there was no surveillance or forensic evidence. Broward prosecutors have reviewed the case and did their own investigation. A decision on whether to charge Irvin criminally is expected next week.

According to Irvin's lawsuit, the woman's lawyers pushed for five months for Irvin to pay up to $1 million.

In January, the lawsuit alleges, the woman's attorney's threatened to sue during the Super Bowl and destory Irvin's career.

``This is nothing more than a thinly veiled effort to carry out plaintiff's extortion plot, while capitalizing on the media circus that is Super Bowl weekend,'' Irvin's lawsuit said.

The woman's lawyer, David Lister of Weston, declined to comment on the Dallas lawsuit.

As a football player with the University of Miami and the Dallas Cowboys, Irvin was known for big plays and his big personality. Even after his retirement from pro football, Irvin stayed in the spotlight. He had the radio show in Dallas and did broadcasting for the NFL network.

He also had prior legal troubles, including pleading no contest to a cocaine charge in 1996.

Later in that same year, Irvin and a teammate were accused of sexually assaulting a woman. An investigation revealed the woman had made up the story and she soon recanted.


http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breakin ... 65724.html

[Eliza]

www.dallasnews.com

ESPN fires Michael Irvin, but not over rape allegations

08:34 PM CST on Friday, February 5, 2010
By BARRY HORN / The Dallas Morning News

Michael Irvin, in South Florida for Sunday's Super Bowl, was fired by ESPN-FM (103.3) on Friday morning, three days ahead of schedule.

Pete Dits, the station's general manager, said he planned to deliver the word in person when Irvin returned to the station on Monday, but news that Irvin was being sued for an alleged rape sped up the process.

"He would not have been able to do his show today anyway," Dits said. "It would have been a media circus."

Irvin's final show, as it has all week, was to have originated from the Super Bowl media center's crowded "radio row."

A South Florida woman sued Irvin on Thursday for allegedly raping her in July 2007 in a local hotel room. No criminal charges have been filed.

Dits said disappointing ratings coupled with Irvin's relatively high salary were the reasons for dropping Irvin's 2-year-old show. The rape allegation had nothing to with it, he said.

Still, Irvin filed a $100 million lawsuit in Dallas County court later Friday against his accuser, citing his firing and accusing her of "attempting to destroy the hard-earned reputation and career of a highly acclaimed sports broadcaster."

Irvin did not return calls to The Dallas Morning News or respond to text messages. Larry Friedman, his Dallas-based attorney, has maintained that Irvin is innocent of all charges. Friedman was not immediately available for comment.

Irvin, a Hall of Fame former Cowboys receiver, is from Fort Lauderdale and attended the University of Miami. He is also a television analyst for NFL Network and has been working and making appearances around his hometown for the last two weeks.

A spokesman for NFL Network said Irvin was not scheduled to work Friday but will be on the network as planned Saturday and Sunday.

Asked about Irvin at a morning news conference, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league-owned NFL Network would investigate the allegations.

"We'll obviously take it seriously, make sure we understand the facts and then take the appropriate steps," Goodell said.

The decision to drop Irvin was made earlier this week, Dits said. He said there had been discussions about finding a new role for Irvin at the station if ESPN 103.3 decided to end his weekday 11 a.m.-to-2 p.m. show. There will be no new role.

Dits confirmed that Irvin and the station signed a new contract in December but said the station held the option of canceling it after the Super Bowl.

Dits said he tried to call Irvin early Friday morning before his show was scheduled to begin. Irvin didn't answer his phone and his voice mail was full. Instead, Dits called Irvin's agent to deliver the news. Dits did reach Irvin's co-host Kevin Kiley to tell him he was fired.

Ben Rogers and Jeff Wade, who have been working evenings at the station, replaced Irvin on Friday, and their Ben and Skin Show will be his permanent replacement,