Jump to content

Lawsuit accuses Cornelius Bennett of sexually assaulting teen in 1992


billsfan1959

Recommended Posts

4 hours ago, RunTheBall said:

At risk of offending all the White Knights on this board, this is a pure money grab in the age of MeToo. 30 years later there is zero evidence available one way or the other, it’s purely he-said, she-said and the hope is the bad publicity will force Bennett to send some $ her way to make it go away quickly. I’m not saying Bennett is innocent and if he knows he assaulted her he should (but won’t) pay up. Zero chance there’s a criminal charge, this is all civil. 

 

I'm not going to dismiss it as a moneygrab without knowing the facts and evidence.   We don't know what the evidence is or is not.  And we do ask people to avoid politicized and politically-loaded language here ("White Knights").

 

But the reason I say these type of lawsuits after 30 years are not fair, is that after 30 years, it is incredibly hard to track down witnesses and evidence.  Hell, with limited exceptions, I have no idea where I even was on a specific date 30 years ago.  Maybe the woman has convincing evidence, but Bennett also has a right to a fair defense which might involve witnesses or evidence that are difficult or impossible for him to find after all this time.   Even if he finds them, retrospective memories are even more falliable and subject to influence than recent memories. 

 

That's why I think these 30 year retrospective legal actions are a Pestilence upon the Land.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, SF Bills Fan said:

I've heard a few stories from back in the day about how he was a total jerk to fans and even kids that wanted autographs. One buddy of mine had his card ripped up by him at camp when he gave it to him to sign when he was little. I know there was a lot of arrogance on that squad, but I think he was at an extreme with his attitude. I always wondered why he never got more accolades like the Bills Wall of Fame and even a Hall of Fame nod and maybe some of this behavior is the reason? 

A lot of those players had arrogant streaks and are up on the wall, to my knowledge tho' Bennet is the only convicted sex offender among them (and not up on the wall.)

Edited by Captain Caveman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

It's true.  He served prison time after pleading guilty to sexual assault in Buffalo in 1997.  It's the real reason he's not on the Wall of Fame.

The Buffalo Bills would NEVER have someone on the Wall of Fame who was suspected of impropriety.

2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

Then you’re simply not aware. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

What is the voting process for determining who is on the WALL of fame at Highmark and who votes?

  • Haha (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, BigBuff423 said:

 

I have no idea if her claims are true or not and I won't try to be a legal expert myself. However, the bolded portion has to do with the outcome or objective and as men, we tend to focus on those narrow parameters. But often traumatized victims find the goal to be processing their own grief and she might have had treatment or therapy encouraging her to have a voice. Giving herself a voice to name her abuser and pull herself out of the victimization by casting aside her shame and announcing her ability to survive after many years of broken and failed relationships, peripheral substance abuse or an inability to re-enter society as she did before she was allegedly victimized. Again, I'm in no way validating OR doubting her statements - I take a completely neutral take to these accusations, but I am also seeing it from more than just an objective based approach by indicating the process itself for the victim, has value (again without saying she is or isn't a victim). The worth is in the voice being heard, the guilt and shame of sexual trauma being removed from her own mind, and trying to find some way to heal and obtain a sense of closure. 

 

It sounds as though you're suggesting legal proceedings as a means to processing and heal from 30 year old trauma and find a voice.

 

I'm not a therapist, but based on experiences that have been publicized, I strongly suspect legal proceedings are not the best means to that end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

The Buffalo Bills would NEVER have someone on the Wall of Fame who was suspected of impropriety.

What is the voting process for determining who is on the WALL of fame at Highmark and who votes?

I don’t know the specifics today, but Van Miller mentioned he was a voting member. I assume it’s a collection of sports personalities and reporters, team historians and possibly active alumni members.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, RunTheBall said:

At risk of offending all the White Knights on this board, this is a pure money grab in the age of MeToo. 30 years later there is zero evidence available one way or the other, it’s purely he-said, she-said and the hope is the bad publicity will force Bennett to send some $ her way to make it go away quickly. I’m not saying Bennett is innocent and if he knows he assaulted her he should (but won’t) pay up. Zero chance there’s a criminal charge, this is all civil. 


I tend to think along these lines as well.  I’m not saying it didn’t happen but it does seem like they are taking advantage of the current climate by filing this suit and holding the Bills and the NFL accountable, as opposed to Bennett himself.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

The Buffalo Bills would NEVER have someone on the Wall of Fame who was suspected of impropriety.

OJ was on the Wall of Fame before his kidnapping and armed robbery conviction it's that what you're implying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

I don’t know the specifics today, but Van Miller mentioned he was a voting member. I assume it’s a collection of sports personalities and reporters, team historians and possibly active alumni members.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/team/alumni/wall-of-fame

 

Quote

The Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame was created in 1980 to honor former players, administrators and coaches who have played significant roles in the team's history. To be eligible for induction, an individual must have played with the Bills for at least three years and be retired from professional football. Also eligible are other individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Bills, including administrators and coaches. Selections are made by a distinguished panel composed of club personnel and media members.

 

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Beast said:

The Bills and the NFL failed to supervise him.

 

Money grab right there but it won’t work. That will get tossed.

Yes because he has been such a model citizen....right?   There is NO TIMETABLE for this stuff

4 hours ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

It definitely should be for sure

No.....there should not

3 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

Umm, it was 29 years ago.

 

Why wait almost three decades to accuse someone?    It seems like the details needed to prove such a thing would be extremely difficult to both recall and to accept as reliable. 

 

I predict this will go nowhere.

 

 

It probably will go nowhere.....but there is no timetable on the the distress rape causes it is not uncommon at all for a victim to be fine and then have suppressed memories resurface......or this could be something that they just lived with for years and have suffered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Yes because he has been such a model citizen....right?   There is NO TIMETABLE for this stuff

So you believe the Bills and the NFL are responsible? LMAO

 

The only reason she listed both in her lawsuit is the deep pockets of both. Pure money grab.

Edited by Beast
  • Dislike 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

It sounds as though you're suggesting legal proceedings as a means to processing and heal from 30 year old trauma and find a voice.

 

I'm not a therapist, but based on experiences that have been publicized, I strongly suspect legal proceedings are not the best means to that end.

 

You're not wrong about my point, and my experience would refute that in terms of the value of confronting a person's abuser / offender in a criminal, or in this case a civil, proceeding. I'm sure she was advised he will have his day to offer his own side / evidence and there will be countless questions and challenges to her version of truth, as well as media scrutiny for some of the same reasons offered by people on this board already. 

 

That said, it is often therapeutic to simply believe the truth is brought into the open. It is very much NOT the same but in the recovery rooms for substance abuse there is a saying, "Secrets keep you sick". There is a powerful revelation of soul when a person can be transparent about their trauma, victimization or internal struggles. So, the legal process is certainly not intended to be a medium for healing, but ultimately there is a great deal of healing that occurs in the process and it often happens organically. The process is long, carries over from week to week and month to month, and there are challenges every turn to determine a person's state of mind and what truly happened. Moreover, often a legal proceeding is the only place where a person can truly believe their voice is given validation. 

 

To your second point about legal proceedings not being the "best means to that end", I agree. It isn't about being "the best means", it's just too often it's either the only means or the only one that matters to a world which keeps grinding regardless of a person's pain and so it creates a sort of pause for the victim to be able to take the time and bring their tragic experience to life and cope or heal in the process.

 

It is JMO, but I've had many professional experiences with these types of situations and only offer my own perspective and what I've done in my life, that is not to say it's true for every person or survivor. 

 

Edit: after re-reading my post, I don't want there to be any confusion in my last statement, I'm not saying I was or am a victim in a similar sense, at all. It was meant to reflect my professional experiences and not any personal experiences.

Edited by BigBuff423
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just find the snap judgements to be pretty silly. I mean, a lot of the posters here, without having any information whatsoever, are jumping to one side or the other, claiming the woman is lying and only after money, or claiming she should be believed.

 

Just have to see how things play out. I'll offer my opinion once I actually have information to base it on.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, davefan66 said:


Sexual assault has a stigma that many women don’t want given to them.  That’s why so many sexually abused women never tell their story.  They are scared if not being believed, especially if the accused is famous as CB was back then.  They are also scared of the offender, especially one that was in the public eye.  

 

If she was assaulted, she has every right to do what she’s doing.  Regardless of time frames.

Not disputing her rights,but at the same time, in 30years  if the evidence is substantial, CB ha the right to be presumed innocent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...