Civil suit filed against Pittsburgh Qb Roethlisberger

Sgt John

Sith Lord of T&A
Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is any form of unwanted or forced sexual conduct, ranging from touching, fondling, and/or kissing to sexual intercourse.

Rape: Rape is
sexual intercourse (penetration, usually) without consent, or on a person who is too young or otherwise incapable of giving informed consent.

Rape is a severe case of Sexual assault as I read the above definitions. It is a form a sexual assault. Maybe it is easier to prove if you accuse them of just sexual assault instead of being specific and calling the sexual assault rape......but in reading the accusation, she is accusing him of Rape.

Here is the Texas Penal Code site on the offenses of Sexual Assault and Aggravated Sexual Assault. Hopefully this helps.

Sec. 22.011. SEXUAL ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense if the person:
(1) intentionally or knowingly:
(A) causes the penetration of the anus or sexual organ of another person by any means, without that person's consent;
(B) causes the penetration of the mouth of another person by the sexual organ of the actor, without that person's consent; or
(C) causes the sexual organ of another person, without that person's consent, to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the actor; or
(2) intentionally or knowingly:
(A) causes the penetration of the anus or sexual organ of a child by any means;
(B) causes the penetration of the mouth of a child by the sexual organ of the actor;
(C) causes the sexual organ of a child to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the actor;
(D) causes the anus of a child to contact the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the actor; or
(E) causes the mouth of a child to contact the anus or sexual organ of another person, including the actor.
(b) A sexual assault under Subsection (a)(1) is without the consent of the other person if:
(1) the actor compels the other person to submit or participate by the use of physical force or violence;
(2) the actor compels the other person to submit or participate by threatening to use force or violence against the other person, and the other person believes that the actor has the present ability to execute the threat;
(3) the other person has not consented and the actor knows the other person is unconscious or physically unable to resist;
(4) the actor knows that as a result of mental disease or defect the other person is at the time of the sexual assault incapable either of appraising the nature of the act or of resisting it;
(5) the other person has not consented and the actor knows the other person is unaware that the sexual assault is occurring;
(6) the actor has intentionally impaired the other person's power to appraise or control the other person's conduct by administering any substance without the other person's knowledge;
(7) the actor compels the other person to submit or participate by threatening to use force or violence against any person, and the other person believes that the actor has the ability to execute the threat;
(8) the actor is a public servant who coerces the other person to submit or participate;
(9) the actor is a mental health services provider or a health care services provider who causes the other person, who is a patient or former patient of the actor, to submit or participate by exploiting the other person's emotional dependency on the actor;
(10) the actor is a clergyman who causes the other person to submit or participate by exploiting the other person's emotional dependency on the clergyman in the clergyman's professional character as spiritual adviser; or
(11) the actor is an employee of a facility where the other person is a resident, unless the employee and resident are formally or informally married to each other under Chapter 2, Family Code.
(c) In this section:
(1) "Child" means a person younger than 17 years of age who is not the spouse of the actor.
(2) "Spouse" means a person who is legally married to another.
(3) "Health care services provider" means:
(A) a physician licensed under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
(B) a chiropractor licensed under Chapter 201, Occupations Code;
(C) a physical therapist licensed under Chapter 453, Occupations Code;
(D) a physician assistant licensed under Chapter 204, Occupations Code; or
(E) a registered nurse, a vocational nurse, or an advanced practice nurse licensed under Chapter 301, Occupations Code.
(4) "Mental health services provider" means an individual, licensed or unlicensed, who performs or purports to perform mental health services, including a:
(A) licensed social worker as defined by Section 505.002, Occupations Code;
(B) chemical dependency counselor as defined by Section 504.001, Occupations Code;
(C) licensed professional counselor as defined by Section 503.002, Occupations Code;
(D) licensed marriage and family therapist as defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code;
(E) member of the clergy;
(F) psychologist offering psychological services as defined by Section 501.003, Occupations Code; or
(G) special officer for mental health assignment certified under Section 1701.404, Occupations Code.
(5) "Employee of a facility" means a person who is an employee of a facility defined by Section 250.001, Health and Safety Code, or any other person who provides services for a facility for compensation, including a contract laborer.
(d) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(2) that the conduct consisted of medical care for the child and did not include any contact between the anus or sexual organ of the child and the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of the actor or a third party.
(e) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(2) that:
(1) the actor was not more than three years older than the victim and at the time of the offense:
(A) was not required under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register for life as a sex offender; or
(B) was not a person who under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, had a reportable conviction or adjudication for an offense under this section; and
(2) the victim:
(A) was a child of 14 years of age or older; and
(B) was not a person whom the actor was prohibited from marrying or purporting to marry or with whom the actor was prohibited from living under the appearance of being married under Section 25.01.(f) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree, except that an offense under this section is a felony of the first degree if the victim was a person whom the actor was prohibited from marrying or purporting to marry or with whom the actor was prohibited from living under the appearance of being married under Section 25.01.

 

Sgt John

Sith Lord of T&A
Sec. 22.021. AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense:
(1) if the person:
(A) intentionally or knowingly:
(i) causes the penetration of the anus or sexual organ of another person by any means, without that person's consent;
(ii) causes the penetration of the mouth of another person by the sexual organ of the actor, without that person's consent; or
(iii) causes the sexual organ of another person, without that person's consent, to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the actor; or
(B) intentionally or knowingly:
(i) causes the penetration of the anus or sexual organ of a child by any means;
(ii) causes the penetration of the mouth of a child by the sexual organ of the actor;
(iii) causes the sexual organ of a child to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the actor;
(iv) causes the anus of a child to contact the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the actor; or
(v) causes the mouth of a child to contact the anus or sexual organ of another person, including the actor; and
(2) if:
(A) the person:
(i) causes serious bodily injury or attempts to cause the death of the victim or another person in the course of the same criminal episode;
(ii) by acts or words places the victim in fear that death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping will be imminently inflicted on any person;
(iii) by acts or words occurring in the presence of the victim threatens to cause the death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping of any person;
(iv) uses or exhibits a deadly weapon in the course of the same criminal episode;
(v) acts in concert with another who engages in conduct described by Subdivision (1) directed toward the same victim and occurring during the course of the same criminal episode; or
(vi) administers or provides flunitrazepam, otherwise known as rohypnol, gamma hydroxybutyrate, or ketamine to the victim of the offense with the intent of facilitating the commission of the offense;
(B) the victim is younger than 14 years of age; or
(C) the victim is an elderly individual or a disabled individual.
(b) In this section:
(1) "Child" has the meaning assigned by Section 22.011(c).
(2) ""Elderly individual" and "disabled individual" have the meanings assigned by Section 22.04(c).
(c) An aggravated sexual assault under this section is without the consent of the other person if the aggravated sexual assault occurs under the same circumstances listed in Section 22.011(b).
(d) The defense provided by Section 22.011(d) applies to this section.
(e) An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree.
(f) The minimum term of imprisonment for an offense under this section is increased to 25 years if:
(1) the victim of the offense is younger than six years of age at the time the offense is committed; or
(2) the victim of the offense is younger than 14 years of age at the time the offense is committed and the actor commits the offense in a manner described by Subsection (a)(2)(A).
 

Cerberus

In Dog We Trust
She is looking to make a quick dollar. I have a hard time beleiving it happened since it took so long for her to say something and she never filed anything or reported anything to the police department. Too much time went by to prove if it happened or did not happen.
 

Mike

Administrator
I absolutely hate stories like this.

This girl could be telling the truth, but there are so many cases where someone was after money, that it is going to be very difficult to prove if it is legit. This fact could also be exactly why it took so long for her to speak out.

At the same time, yet another athlete is at risk of losing everything, even if he is not guilty.

What is even more unfortunate is that the public tends to assume innocence or guilt regarding the athlete depending on who they are.

Remember the situation with Michael Irvin and Erik Williams? These guys were all but convicted by the public, yet completely innocent. Had that girl not come clean, both would have went to prison.
 
Remember the situation with Michael Irvin and Erik Williams? These guys were all but convicted by the public, yet completely innocent. Had that girl not come clean, both would have went to prison.

I faintly recall the incident but definitely not the details. Any one check the girls bank accounts/where is she now since retracting her statement?

Innocence purchased?
 

Mike

Administrator
I faintly recall the incident but definitely not the details. Any one check the girls bank accounts/where is she now since retracting her statement?

Innocence purchased?

Not sure where she is now, but it was the Police that actually broke her story down and drug the truth out of her. I believe she did some jail time over this, but not sure.
 

Mike

Administrator
I should have picked a different situation, should have know I couldn't use a Dallas Cowboys reference in this thread ;)
 

Phicinfan

Expert on nothing, opinionated on everything
Administrator
I absolutely hate stories like this.

This girl could be telling the truth, but there are so many cases where someone was after money, that it is going to be very difficult to prove if it is legit. This fact could also be exactly why it took so long for her to speak out.

At the same time, yet another athlete is at risk of losing everything, even if he is not guilty.

What is even more unfortunate is that the public tends to assume innocence or guilt regarding the athlete depending on who they are.

Remember the situation with Michael Irvin and Erik Williams? These guys were all but convicted by the public, yet completely innocent. Had that girl not come clean, both would have went to prison.

Great points.

I see two possibilities here.

First, she was attacked, she was afraid first of losing her job, as stated in the report. Also perhaps more importantly, what a media circus for this girl. She will have to prove guilt, she will always be considered part to blame, her life will be torn apart. So instead of a criminal complaint...she waits till the criminal issue has passed, and files a civil complaint that will draw less attention....to cover expenses for mental issues faced.

Or
Secondly, she was working there, is slightly unbalanced...or just greedy. She was treated well by Roethlisburger, enough contact to verify the story...and is just out for money since he is now a Superbowl hero and a clear target.

Sadly, no one will win this...as both will have scars due to this complaint.
 
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