Matt Araiza accused of rape, served with a lawsuit.

[pocoboy]

1 minute ago, Mango said:

 

Meh. I guess. It isn't greaseball lawyer specific. The SOP for NFL franchises for stuff like this is: 

1. Pay to make this go away before it reaches the public. 

2. Make sure local police provide reasonable protection. 

Araiza didn't pay to make it go away. Police haven't released results of the victims rape kit to the victim. They are certainly doing their part. 

There is no special "process" or "culture" in Buffalo. The Bills are an NFL franchise doing NFL things. Same stink, different poop. 

 

I'm just saying that this lawyer sees no endgame without trying to press into the Media to do the work the justice system won't (or can't). That makes the endgame:

1) Enhance media sympathy for client

2) Get media to harangue employer for being inconsiderate of sympathetic client's plight

3) Leave employer with no choice but to cut ties and save face

4) Defendant punished with losing livelihood, just desserts for an uncorroborated rape (in their minds), and maybe enough comes in the civil suit to get an award that pays off the lawyer and gives the victim some kind of feeling of justice.

[Tanoros]

8 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

The Buffalo Bills aren’t the justice system. They have no obligation to wait. They’ll act based on what’s best for the organization.

Agreed, however innocent until proven guilty is an American value. Do you think the Bills are more or less attractive to players when we cut people the second a negative accusation is made against them? Of course not, the reason being, not adhering to a core tenet of the American way of life. 
 

Just any team preaches the best man wins the job, so should the team follow their existing procedures for this kind of thing, and I guarantee you, the procedure is NOT to act based on feelings and public perception. The Bills have to show honesty and integrity in regards to their players, illustrating that they respect them as people. 
 

Too many in this nation react emotionally and then don’t see anything wrong with that. Pure insanity

[Captain Caveman]

1 minute ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Because he can be disciplined.  Araiza can't be suspended right now according to CBA. It's a civil case. 

Who cares what the NFL can do (I already know they're a garbage organization) I want the Bills to do the right thing, and am disappointed that they probably won't (cause they would have weeks ago if they were going to.)

[BullBuchanan]

Just now, BillsFanSD said:

Yes, that's possible.  We don't know whether the girl in question was raped, and we don't know by who.  Yet.  

And what will need to happen (that didn't already happen at the hospital) in order for you to be convinced she was raped?

[NewEra]

116 pages…..lol

[aceman_16]

1 minute ago, Captain Caveman said:

I'd be willing to bet he would have been traded and played last year if not for those legal issues

They tried to trade him before the legal issues were known...however, he had a no trade clause and got to veto any team (which he did)

[pocoboy]

5 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

The lawyer apparently knows that Jerry Sullivan is a Bills beat writer😎

 

Lawyer is probably on a retainer with Robert Kraft.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Just now, Captain Caveman said:

Who cares what the NFL can do (I already know they're a garbage organization) I want the Bills to do the right thing, and am disappointed that they probably won't (cause they would have weeks ago if they were going to.)

The right thing to do is to stand by him if they believe him he's not at fault. 

[JoPoy88]

7 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

"Innocent-until-proven-guilty" isn't just a judicial concept, it's an American value. 

 

I don't expect businesses to require the same burden of proof necessary in a court of law.  But I think that, morally and ethically, they shouldn't terminate employees without a preponderance of evidence. 

 

I don't think the Bills should cut Araiza because of the media storm.  I do think they should cut him if their investigation concludes Araiza is probably guilty.  

the concept of at-will employment is also a thing and seems pretty prevalent in this country. It certainly isn’t a moral failing by the team to simply not want to deal with the headache of this.

[UKBillFan]

1 minute ago, Tanoros said:

Agreed, however innocent until proven guilty is an American value. Do you think the Bills are more or less attractive to players when we cut people the second a negative accusation is made against them? Of course not, the reason being, not adhering to a core tenet of the American way of life. 
 

Just any team preaches the best man wins the job, so should the team follow their existing procedures for this kind of thing, and I guarantee you, the procedure is NOT to act based on feelings and public perception. The Bills have to show honesty and integrity in regards to their players, illustrating that they respect them as people. 
 

Too many in this nation react emotionally and then don’t see anything wrong with that. Pure insanity

The thing is the Bills had an easy out - choose Haack based on his experience and cut Araiza. There may have been some blowback but, if this came out as it has, it would suddenly be more accepted. They ran an investigation and decided to keep him on. Big decision.

[cv05]

5 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

It wouldn’t be great but it’s not impossible that Beane knew but McD did not.

 

Agreed, not impossible. But highly unlikely.

 

I think every team in the league knew about it, before the draft. Why are 2 other punters going ahead of him? It makes no sense. Its being openly talked about online. Reporters are said to have known. NFL scouts are pretty diligent about digging on all these guys for dirt as far as I understand it. I find it hard to believe the Bills (all involved) were naïve to it.

[Captain Caveman]

Just now, ExiledInIllinois said:

The right thing to do is to stand by him if they believe him he's not at fault. 

 

I wish I could believe that they believe that, but I don't.

[BillsFanSD]

Just now, BullBuchanan said:

And what will need to happen (that didn't already happen at the hospital) in order for you to be convinced she was raped?

Well, it sounds like there's a rape kit in evidence someplace.  Those results could easily persuade me that a rape took place.

 

Also, according to the civil complaint, one of the girl's friends looked in through the window and tried to enter the room where the rape allegedly took place.  I think (not sure) that there was another friend or two at the party.  Those folks can corroborate or undermine her account of the evening, and we haven't heard from them yet.  I would definitely update my priors based on their testimony.  

[ddaryl]

8 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Azaira apparently already turned down that option.  Look at the texts exchanged between the two lawyers.  

Which means 

 

1.)  he is telling his truth and won't accept any blame because he didnt do what she is saying.

Or

 

2.) he thinks he can ride this out and win back public opinion...

But settling with an NDA would keep him out of jail, so he is gambling a lot here if he is lying

Edited August 26, 2022 by ddaryl

[julian]

12 hours ago, BillsShredder83 said:

Dude, knowing this team and beane and mcd.... if they have credible witnesses, believe he didnt act maliciously..... that team has had a family sit down to say- hey this is whats coming. this is why were standing behind mat. we stick up for our players when we believe in them. as a team, this isnt going to effect our goals. the media might be brutal, but this is us taking a stand for someone who could just as easily be YOU. -- THAT IS A STRONG LOCKER ROOM MOMENT

 

If that meeting hasnt happened, and the bills are standing behind their guy, that meeting will happen. If thats what beane and mcd do, i think theyve earned the trust of the team to get benefit of doubt. hell, this could be somewhat of a rallying point for the team. Does this sound unreasonable? I truely dont think it does.

I 100% agree with everything you just wrote here and I’m always innocent until proven guilty. My desire for this team’s success is powerful and I’m going to assume it’s trumped by the management and players desire.

 

 I’m giving McDermott and Bean the benefit of the doubt and will trust whatever decision they make is with the interest of winning first and foremost. Fingers crossed.

[YoloinOhio]

16 minutes ago, quinnearlysghost88 said:

She wrote in her journal the day after the incident that she told him she went to high school. 

She said she told them that she went to Grossmont (period). There is both a Grossmont college and Grossmont HS. Ariaza’s lawyer said he has witnesses who say she told them she went to Grossmont college. 

[BullBuchanan]

7 minutes ago, pocoboy said:

 

"Hi, my name is Bull Buchanan, welcome to my illiterate world"

 

Blame is tough. I'd blame him and his buddies for being stupid and screwing everything this side of Luxembourg. If that's your life, drinking & ****ing, there are a host of problems that may come your way.

Maybe I am illiterate, help me out a little then. If you think all his buddies were doing is "screwing everything this side of Luxembourg" does that include the teenager in question which would be a felony and make him a Sex Offender?

[Captain Caveman]

For everyone talking about how the Beane and McDermott would never keep a guy who could have done this, let's not forget that they kept Tyrel Dodson after his domestic violence charge.  In that case he served what the League deemed to be an appropriate suspension, and I don't really have a problem with him getting a second chance.  

But I think it is helpful in looking at how Beane and McDermott view a player in trouble - as a business decision.

Edited August 26, 2022 by Captain Caveman

[UKBillFan]

1 minute ago, cv05 said:

 

Agreed, not impossible. But highly unlikely.

 

I think every team in the league knew about it, before the draft. Why are 2 other punters going ahead of him? It makes no sense. Its being openly talked about online. Reporters are said to have known. NFL scouts are pretty diligent about digging on all these guys for dirt as far as I understand it. I find it hard to believe the Bills (all involved) were naïve to it.

From memory, Araiza was the third or fourth punter in the draft due to his downsides (lack of experience with holding and hang time) so he went where he was expected to go, in punter terms.

[mikef272002]

1) The girl said she attended High school, she did not say she told him she was 17.

2) She went to the side of the house with Matt, he told her to go down and she did.  He then turned her around and they had sex. 

3) His lawyer and multiple witnesses said he was not in the room when the accusations of rape occurred.

 

This sounds to me like she had sex with a guy at a party, neither considered age before hand.  Everyone keeps saying he raped her, but it does not sound like forced rape to me.  It sounds like once she was in the bedroom, multiple people raped her but Matt was not part of that group and for all we know he didn't even know it occurred. However, of all the men there, Matt is the NFL guy, so that's who they're going to go after for money due to her age, hence the civil case and the multiple texts between lawyers. 

 

I think we should let this play out and hear both sides before we rush to judgment.  If she willingly had sex with Matt, which it appears she did, then Matt should face a misdemeanor. Would any of you want your 21 year old son to go to jail and lose his chance to play int he NFL because he had sex with a girl that was 17 who consented to the sex, especially if your son didn't realize she wasn't 18?  For all we know she could of told him she was 18, the facts on that aren't out yet, only that she told him she was in high school.

[Tanoros]

12 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

Why do people have such a hard time understanding the difference between laws of the state and the practice of private industry when it comes to things like rights? He has no right to be treated as "innocent" by his employer (or us for that matter) until someone proves that he's guilty. His behavior has negatively impacted the franchise. That's reason enough for termination.

Why do people have such a hard time understanding the private industry in AMERICA should represent American ideals in order to attract hard working Americans. Who wants to work for a company/organization that doesn’t adhere to America ideals? Those pulling the weight of this country along are the ones who adhere and respect the American way of life. 
 

Obviously a private company is free to do things that are counter to the American justice system, but such actions are not free of consequence. In the instance the Bills find themselves in, there isn’t one right answer as so many in this thread seem to indicate. EVERY organization/company worth a damn has procedure/protocols in place for dealing with the multitude of things that can occur. Just as the Bills do in this instance. The best thing the Bills can do is follow their pre established procedures/protocols (even if that means dumping the player, however, that doesn’t appear to be the case as of now). 

[UKBillFan]

Just now, mikef272002 said:

1) The girl said she attended High school, she did not say she told him she was 17.

2) She went to the side of the house with Matt, he told her to go down and she did.  He then turned her around and they had sex. 

3) His lawyer and multiple witnesses said he was not in the room when the accusations of rape occurred.

 

This sounds to me like she had sex with a guy at a party, neither considered age before hand.  Everyone keeps saying he raped her, but it does not sound like forced rape to me.  It sounds like once she was in the bedroom, multiple people raped her but Matt was not part of that group and for all we know he didn't even know it occurred. However, of all the men there, Matt is the NFL guy, so that's who they're going to go after for money due to her age, hence the civil case and the multiple texts between lawyers. 

 

I think we should let this play out and hear both sides before we rush to judgment.  If she willingly had sex with Matt, which it appears she did, then Matt should face a misdemeanor. Would any of you want your 21 year old son to go to jail and lose his chance to play int he NFL because he had sex with a girl that was 17 who consented to the sex, especially if your son didn't realize she wasn't 18?  For all we know she could of told him she was 18, the facts on that aren't out yet, only that she told him she was in high school.

The victim alleges he took her to the room where the other guys were and, I believe, joined in.

[pocoboy]

Just now, BullBuchanan said:

Maybe I am illiterate, help me out a little then. If you think all his buddies were doing is "screwing everything this side of Luxembourg" does that include the teenager in question which would be a felony and make him a Sex Offender?

 

It could be a felony, until the Defense Attorney calls the witnesses he claims he interviewed who will testify she was telling people she was attending "Grossmont College" and that she was 18. Then my understanding would be that, given her indicating that she was of age, the protections of the statutory rape laws would be lost.

 

I'm not here explicitly to defend Araiza. In fact I feel they should release him so that he can focus on this rather than football.

[cv05]

1 minute ago, UKBillFan said:

From memory, Araiza was the third or fourth punter in the draft due to his downsides (lack of experience with holding and hang time) so he went where he was expected to go, in punter terms.

That's what I assumed as well, but it did strike me as odd. A guy that can boom it 80 yards (further than any other punter ever) and literally flip field position isn't the top guy? I mean, I'm relatively clueless about the other aspects of his game and how it compares to the top level punters, but that has to raise some red flags.

[1ManRaid]

22 minutes ago, Logic said:

You're right.

Watson was never accused of participating in a violent gang rape for 90 minutes.

 

Single.  Accusation.  Far different than dozens of cases establishing a documented pattern of predatory behavior.

 

I could easily make a single unfounded accusation that you committed war crimes and raped orphans.  Hey, you were accused of a SUPER HORRIBLE THING, so you HAVE to lose your job and have your life ruined, right?

[Wayne Arnold]

22 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I find this hard to understand.. 
 

I know we joke about their obsession with core special teamers, but do Bills fans actually look at this coaching staff, McDermott and Beane.. the Pegula’s.. and think they are so obsessed with teams that they would roster a punter who they aren’t 100% sold on being innocent of what he’s accused when it involves f***ing gang rape off the heels of Deshaun Watson!?

 

How can they possibly be 100% sold on his innocence? Is Beane a psychic?

 

It makes sense now that Araiza was the third punter taken.

[hondo in seattle]

13 minutes ago, Bandito said:

Pro sports leagues should not dive into legal matters. That is why we have a judicial system. They should let the legal system play out. We have seen them bungle numerous situations without all the facts. Innocent until proven guilty

 

Yeah, I've wondered about that.  If I remember correctly, in the old days of professional sports, teams allowed the court system to make the final determinations on guilt or innocence.

 

In many/most businesses, that's still the standard.  If someone is involved in something outside of work, there usually aren't repercussions until there's a verdict.  

[UKBillFan]

Just now, cv05 said:

That's what I assumed as well, but it did strike me as odd. A guy that can boom it 80 yards (further than any other punter ever) and literally flip field position isn't the top guy? I mean, I'm relatively clueless about the other aspects of his game and how it compares to the top level punters, but that has to raise some red flags.

This was in the mock drafts - pretty sure the media were relatively clueless about this otherwise surely it’d have been front and centre.

[CNYfan]

9 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

The thing is the Bills had an easy out - choose Haack based on his experience and cut Araiza. There may have been some blowback but, if this came out as it has, it would suddenly be more accepted. They ran an investigation and decided to keep him on. Big decision.

Real big.  I agree with this line of thought.    Huge decision. 

[hondo in seattle]

2 minutes ago, pocoboy said:

 

It could be a felony, until the Defense Attorney calls the witnesses he claims he interviewed who will testify she was telling people she was attending "Grossmont College" and that she was 18. Then my understanding would be that, given her indicating that she was of age, the protections of the statutory rape laws would be lost.

 

I'm not here explicitly to defend Araiza. In fact I feel they should release him so that he can focus on this rather than football.

 

I'm not a lawyer but I believe statutory rape in CA can be prosecuted as either a felony or misdemeanor.  

[jkirchofer]

1 minute ago, 1ManRaid said:

 

Single.  Accusation.  Far different than dozens of cases establishing a documented pattern of predatory behavior.

 

I could easily make a single unfounded accusation that you committed war crimes and raped orphans.  Hey, you were accused of a SUPER HORRIBLE THING, so you HAVE to lose your job and have your life ruined, right?

What would she stand to benefit? She went to police the next day. Had a rape kit done. That is a lot of trauma to undergo for the sake of extorting a college punter. Comments like yours is a reason a lot of victims do not come forward.

[mikef272002]

2 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

The victim alleges he took her to the room where the other guys were and, I believe, joined in.

"Alleges". Have you heard the other side?  Maybe he did, maybe he didn't.  Maybe he noticed she was drunk and layed her on the bed, not knowing these guys were going to rape her. I'm just saying, lets hear the other side before we rush to judgment.  If in fact there is more and he is guilty of something this bad, then I agree he will need to be cut, never play in the NFL again, and face the courts. 

[f0neguy]

Folks are making a big deal about him being the third punter drafted.  The two guys picked before him were known to have better directional ability and more consistent hang time. Nothing more, nothing less.

[pocoboy]

Just now, CNYfan said:

Real big.  I agree with this line of thought.    Huge decision. 

 

Yeah it sucks when you draft 'punt god' to distract the media from your defense blowing a lead with 13 seconds left, then he blows up in your face too.

[zow2]

Makes it even more weird for me. my son and I were talking about Araiza last week. Stuff like he looks too good to be true, big leg, picking up the holding duties like a champ, and he such a humble, wholesome All-American guy.  

And now this? sheesh! 

[CNYfan]

Besides the Rape Kit the hospital must have run a tox screen for the date rape drug. 

[Offside Number 76]

Just now, CNYfan said:

Besides the Rape Kit the hospital must have run a tox screen for the date rape drug. 

 

Not necessarily.  ECMC, for example, does NOT run tox screens unless requested by the victim.  It is irresponsible, but it is ECMC's practice.

[Mattymafia]

6 minutes ago, mikef272002 said:

1) The girl said she attended High school, she did not say she told him she was 17.

2) She went to the side of the house with Matt, he told her to go down and she did.  He then turned her around and they had sex. 

3) His lawyer and multiple witnesses said he was not in the room when the accusations of rape occurred.

 

This sounds to me like she had sex with a guy at a party, neither considered age before hand.  Everyone keeps saying he raped her, but it does not sound like forced rape to me.  It sounds like once she was in the bedroom, multiple people raped her but Matt was not part of that group and for all we know he didn't even know it occurred. However, of all the men there, Matt is the NFL guy, so that's who they're going to go after for money due to her age, hence the civil case and the multiple texts between lawyers. 

 

I think we should let this play out and hear both sides before we rush to judgment.  If she willingly had sex with Matt, which it appears she did, then Matt should face a misdemeanor. Would any of you want your 21 year old son to go to jail and lose his chance to play int he NFL because he had sex with a girl that was 17 who consented to the sex, especially if your son didn't realize she wasn't 18?  For all we know she could of told him she was 18, the facts on that aren't out yet, only that she told him she was in high school.

This is exactly what I think. Matt's lawyer also said she said she went to Grosmont College, even her "journal" entry says just Grosmont, not the high school. From personal experience, no one has ever said they were in high school at a college party. 

 

It definitely sounds like she was raped upstairs, what they have to find out is whether Araiza was in that room, because everything else could be portrayed as consensual.

[BullBuchanan]

 

4 minutes ago, 1ManRaid said:

 

Single.  Accusation.  Far different than dozens of cases establishing a documented pattern of predatory behavior.

 

I could easily make a single unfounded accusation that you committed war crimes and raped orphans.  Hey, you were accused of a SUPER HORRIBLE THING, so you HAVE to lose your job and have your life ruined, right?

Who's ruining his life? No one has said that he should go to prison yet, just that he should be released from a football team.

Do you have a recorded pretext call where 1ManRaid admitted to committing crimes? Do you have physical evidence and eyewitnesses outlined in a lawsuit? If you did, I might be inclined to believe there was more to the story than a complete fabrication

[Mango]

5 minutes ago, pocoboy said:

 

I'm just saying that this lawyer sees no endgame without trying to press into the Media to do the work the justice system won't (or can't). That makes the endgame:

1) Enhance media sympathy for client

2) Get media to harangue employer for being inconsiderate of sympathetic client's plight

3) Leave employer with no choice but to cut ties and save face

4) Defendant punished with losing livelihood, just desserts for an uncorroborated rape (in their minds), and maybe enough comes in the civil suit to get an award that pays off the lawyer and gives the victim some kind of feeling of justice.

 

I believe that if the police had done the right thing at the front end this wouldn't be much of a discussion. 

The young woman doesn't even have the results to her own medical procedure/testing/rape kit. 

If not for SDSU trying to protect their football team I honestly don't think we see this civil suit. At least not right now.

If this were my HS daughter and the wheels of justice were actively stalling, and somebody involved were all over national news daily being referred to as a "god", I would certainly turn to the civil courts and the franchise to make this right. I would be at training camp every single day with a sign that said "Matt Araiza raped my daughter" or "Matt Araiza was at my daughters gang rape". I would scream at Sean McDermott from the sidelines in Rochester about what his punter did to my daughter. 

 

I cannot imagine that any fathers on this board would "sit back and let this play out"