All posts containing the tag: "sexual assault"
Posted Sep 17th 2009 9:19AM by TMZ Staff
Ben Roethlisberger's lawyer claims any idiot could figure out the woman who's accusing him of sexual assault is a fraud and he wants the judge to nail her lawyer for filing a "frivolous and abusive" lawsuit.
Andrea McNulty accused the Pittsburgh Steelers' QB of sexually assaulting her at a Lake Tahoe hotel in July, 2008. She filed a civil lawsuit a year later.
In the new legal papers, Roethlisberger's lawyer claims McNulty's attorney knew or should have known his client's suit was bogus. Roethlisberger wants McNulty's lawyer formally sanctioned by the judge -- which, among other things, could mean he would have to pay Roethlisberger's attorney's fees.
Roethlisberger's lawyer says the suit is "designed to harass and embarrass him [Big Ben] and countless other individuals," adding the explicit content in her lawsuit is designed "to stir the prurient interests of the media and public."
Roethlisberger's lawyer says even a casual investigation of the facts would have proven McNulty to be a liar. Among other things, Roethlisberger's lawyer claims McNulty told a co-worker she wanted to have sex with Ben and she wanted him to get her pregnant. She also allegedly sent an email less than 24 hours after her sexual encounter with Ben, stating she was looking forward to having dinner with him.
And there's this -- Ben's lawyer cites a letter written by McNulty's attorney, which reads in part: "Our client is currently struggling with whether or not she wants to come forward and seek criminal prosecution of the celebrity."
Ben's lawyer wants the judge to throw the book at his legal adversary.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, attorney, Ben Roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, lawsuit, lawyer, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, sanctions, sexual assault, SexualAssault
Posted Aug 19th 2009 9:20PM by TMZ Staff
A woman who claims David Copperfield sexually assaulted and threatened her in 2007 has just sued him.
The woman -- a 22-year-old fashion model -- alleges the assault took place while she was a guest on his private island in the Bahamas back in 2007, this according to the lawsuit obtained by The Seattle Times.
The woman claims she met David during one of his shows back in January of 2007 -- then got invited to his island in July. The suit says after watching a movie in David's room, he attacked and sexually assaulted her, threatening to kill her if she didn't go along.
The lawsuit alleges David kept at it, assaulting her two more times on the island. She reported the alleged assaults to Seattle police, who turned it over to the FBI.
Copperfield's lawyers were blunt about the suit:
"This woman, who filed the lawsuit, has a history of lying ... She has lied to law enforcement before and, as a result, had innocent people arrested based on a false accusation ... she is incapable of telling the truth.
This lawsuit is extortion for money, plain and simple. Unfortunately, false claims like this only hurt the women who really have been abused, women who really need our help."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Tags: david copperfield, DavidCopperfield, lawsuit, rape, sexual assault, SexualAssault
Posted Jul 23rd 2009 2:00PM by TMZ Staff
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger just issued a 60-second long statement to the media, denying the sexual assault allegations against him.
Roethlisberger said, "I did not sexually assault Andrea McNulty."
"Saturday was the first that I learned of her accusations. Her false and vicious allegations are an attack on my family and on me"
"I would never, ever force myself on a woman."
"I want to fight to protect my family and my reputation."
"I'm not going to discuss my private life or this civil case in the media."
"I'll respond to her outrageous allegations in the appropriate forum."
"I have an obligation to our fans, to my teammates, to my coaches and everyone in the organization to remain focused on the Pittsburgh Steelers and I will do that."
"The allegations against me are reckless and false."
"As much as I would like to answer everyone's questions, I going to respect the legal process and I am confident that the truth will prevail."
Filed under: Talk Sports
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, ben roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, football, harrahs, lawsuit, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, sexual assault, SexualAssault, super bowl, SuperBowl, video
Posted Jul 21st 2009 6:18PM by TMZ Staff
The woman accusing Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault claims she tried to tell the head of hotel security about the incident the day after it happened -- but the guy completely blew her off and threatened her job.
In her lawsuit filed last week in Nevada, Andrea McNulty claims Guy Hyder -- the chief of security at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe -- told her she was "over-reacting" and that "most girls would feel lucky to have sex with someone like Ben Roethlisberger."
McNulty also claims Hyder told her that John Koster -- the president of the hotel - will "personally fire you for starting rumors about Roethlisberger's personal life."
McNulty also claims Hyder told her that Koster would be impressed by the sexual encounter, allegedly saying "Koster would love you even more if he knew about this ... Koster would suck his d*ck if Roethlisberger let him."
In the suit, McNulty claims she assumed the incident would be investigated by hotel security, but Hyder "did not do his job of investigating the assault." McNulty also claims she was "afraid of the consequences of going to police authorities since it was obvious to her that Harrah's and it's personnel ... would side with and support Roethlisberger."
McNulty also claims several Harrah's employees broke into her home and ripped files off of her computer, presumably for the purpose of defending themselves against a possible lawsuit.
Several months after the incident -- after McNulty claims she sought psychological treatment because of the encounter -- she claims she had a conversation with Hyder. McNulty says she told Hyder that she had been hospitalized specifically because of the Roethlisberger incident. Hyder allegedly replied, "I figured that was what was wrong, but I thought it was just like a date rape thing."
McNulty claims her bosses told her she was on thin ice at work ... so she preemptively lawyered up.
McNulty is seeking $380,000 in medical fees plus an unspecified amount of punitive damages.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, battery, ben roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, football, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, rape, sexual assault, SexualAssault, super bowl, SuperBowl
Posted Jul 21st 2009 12:49PM by TMZ Staff
This is the woman accusing Pittsburgh Steeler Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault -- Harrah's Lake Tahoe employee Andrea McNulty.
McNulty claims Roethlisberger assaulted her after she was called to his room to fix his TV in July 2008.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Photo Galleries
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, assault, ben roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, sexual assault, SexualAssault, steelers, sued
Posted Jul 21st 2009 11:50AM by TMZ Staff
The woman accusing Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault claims she warned the football star "You don't want to do this" -- but according to the lawsuit, Ben refused to let her go.
ProFootballTalk.com just released more details from Andrea McNulty's lawsuit against Big Ben -- in which she describes the alleged incident in great detail.
McNulty -- an employee at the Harrah's hotel in Lake Tahoe -- claims it all went down on Friday, July 11, 2008 around 10:00 p.m. In the docs, McNulty claims she ran into Roethlisberger in the hotel hallway and he told her that the sound system on his television wasn't working. He allegedly asked her to come and "take a quick look" at it.
McNulty claims she tried to call other hotel employees to fix the TV, but ultimately decided to go to the room to fix it herself. Once she got to the room, McNulty claims she determined there was no problem with the TV -- but as she tried to leave, Roethlisberger stood in her way and "grabbed [her] and started to kiss her."
According to the report, McNulty claims she was "shocked and stunned that this previously friendly man, that appeared to be a gentleman in her previous contacts with him was suddenly preventing her from leaving, was assaulting and battering her."
In the docs, McNulty claims she "communicated her objection and lack of consent," but he refused to stop and began "fondling [her] through her dress and between her legs."
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, assault, Ben Roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, harrahs, lake tahoe, LakeTahoe, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, sexual assault, SexualAssault, steelers
Posted Jul 21st 2009 10:24AM by TMZ Staff
Sources connected to the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault case claim the psychiatric care the accuser says she's under has nothing to do with Ben .... it has to do with a relationship she had with a man who never existed.
Andrea McNulty has sued Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl champ, claiming he sexually assaulted her in July 2008. Sources tell us Roethlisberger and McNulty had a sexual liaison at the time but Ben insists it was purely consensual. We're told the two knew each other because Ben had stayed at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe over the last several years for golf tournaments -- and she worked at the hotel.
Sources connected with the case tell us a former co-worker of McNulty's at Harrah's came forward with this incredible story -- that around the time McNulty hooked up with Roethlisberger, she was allegedly involved with a married man. The man's wife, we're told, created an email account, posing as a U.S. soldier in Iraq. The wife began corresponding with McNulty to gain information. We're told the former co-worker has said McNulty fell in love with the fictitious soldier and began telling people she was engaged to him. When the wife stopped the correspondence, McNulty then began telling people the soldier was killed in action.
We're told McNulty told at least one co-worker she began seeing a psychiatrist because of the phantom soldier.
We tried repeatedly getting in touch with McNulty. So far we have been unable to reach her.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, assault, Ben Roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, sexual assault, SexualAssault, steelers
Posted Jul 21st 2009 9:03AM by TMZ Staff
A woman claims Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lured her into a hotel room, then sexually assaulted her, according to a new lawsuit.
Andrea McNulty claims in her civil lawsuit filed in Washoe County, Nevada, this year's Super Bowl winner asked her to come to his hotel room in July, 2008 -- and then forced her to have sex with him.
McNulty -- an employee at the Harrah's Hotel in Lake Tahoe -- is suing for sexual assault and battery, false imprisonment and infliction of emotional distress.
Ben denies all of McNulty's allegations. Roethlisberger's lawyer told ProFootballTalk.com, "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."
Roethlisberger was in Nevada at the time of the alleged incident for a celebrity golf tournament.
Coincidentally, Big Ben was photographed in Nevada this weekend for a different celebrity golf tournament, in which he shot a few rounds with Michael Jordan (see photo below).
Ben was reportedly served with the legal papers at some point over the weekend -- but so far it's unclear if he got the papers before or after the tourney.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: ben roethlisberger, ben rothlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, BenRothlisberger, lawsuit, nfl, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, quarterback, rape, sexual assault, SexualAssault
Posted May 19th 2009 5:48PM by TMZ Staff
The former Miss British Columbia 2004 claims in a lawsuit one of the biggest talent agencies in the world promised her stardom but instead -- she says she became the victim of a sexual assault.
Claire Robinson claims in her suit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, International Creative Management (ICM) "hip-pocketed" her -- that's a term used when a senior agent takes an inexperienced actress without credits under his wing. The suit claims the agency "sexually exploited the 'hip-pocketed' actresses" they brought in.
Robinson claims in her lawsuit she was "sexually battered in an ICM limousine en route to a Paramount Studio event." The suit goes on ..."Robinson was later raped by another co-conspirator." Robinson claims the alleged rapist is a talent manager who conspired with ICM Executive VP Jack Gilardi.
Robinson claims Gilardi accepted bribes -- in the form of cash and gold watches -- in return for "hip pocketing" an actress who his friends wanted to "sexually exploit."
Robinson says the "hip-pocketing" practice is conducted "under the nose of Jeffrey Berg, the Chairman of ICM, in full view of its employees," and is an "inside joke" or "dirty secret," known by all within the entertainment industry.
Robinson's attorney Perry Wander tells TMZ "This case was filed as a class action because Ms. Robinson has since learned that this scheme has ensnared other actresses who were 'hip-pocketed' by ICM and sexually exploited."
She's suing for unspecified damages.
UPDATE: 5:48 PM ET -- An ICM spokesperson just gave TMZ the following statement: "Ms. Robinson's allegations are completely baseless. ICM denies any and all wrongdoing and will vigorously defend this action."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Tags: actress, claire robinson, ClaireRobinson, hip pockett, HipPockett, icm, International Creative Management, InternationalCreativeManagement, jack gilardi, JackGilardi, jeffrey berg, JeffreyBerg, rape, sexual assault, SexualAssault
Posted Apr 7th 2009 5:40PM by TMZ Staff
L.A. prosecutors have declined to press charges against Alex Da Silva, one of the choreographers from "So You Think You Can Dance," who was arrested last Saturday night for alleged sexual assaults.
Da Silva has been in jail since he was arrested, but is expected to be released sometime today.
Prosecutors say further investigation is needed and a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office also says more alleged victims have come forward who have not yet been interviewed.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Tags: Alex Da Silva, AlexDaSilva, charged, charges dropped, ChargesDropped, sexual assault, SexualAssault, So You Think You Can Dance, SoYouThinkYouCanDance
Posted Mar 13th 2009 3:10PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE 5:14 PM ET -- Marko Jaric's lawyer claims his client is officially off the hook -- he's released the following statement: "I received official word from the Philadelphia District Attorneys office that after a thorough investigation no charges will be filed against my client, Marko Jaric, in connection with the alleged incident with an unnamed female on February 11, 2009 while his team was in town to play the 76ers.
Persons in Marko's position are often the target of malicious statements and it is not unusual for the police to be asked to investigate. However, these allegations were proved to be completely false, and while Marko is extremely unsettled by these accusations, he is happy that the law enforcement authorities have cleared him of any criminal conduct and the issue can now be put to rest."
Marko Jaric, the basketball star who just married supermodel Adriana Lima, is under investigation for sexually assaulting a woman in Philadelphia, this according to Sports Illustrated.
The alleged assault reportedly went down when Jaric was in Philly to play the 76ers last Saturday.
Jaric, a 30-year-old guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, married Lima last month.
Marko's rep tells TMZ, "These accusations are 100% false and untrue. All high profile couples fall victim to these sort of things through the course of their relationship. Marko and Adriana are very much in love and happily married. The couple knows that there is absolutely no merit whatsoever to these crazy and unfounded allegations."
Filed under: Talk Sports
Tags: Adriana Lima, AdrianaLima, Marko Jaric, MarkoJaric, Memphis Grizzlies, MemphisGrizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia76ers, sexual assault, SexualAssault
