Derrick Rose fights rape lawsuit
Derrick Rose fights rape lawsuit
LOS ANGELES — Lawyers for NBA star Derrick Rose and two friends accused of raping an incapacitated woman doubled down on their assertions that the accuser willingly had sex with the trio, saying she performed sex acts on the men earlier that night at Rose’s mansion in Beverly Hills.
In sharp contrast to the opening statement in the civil case from the woman’s lawyer who called the incident a “classic gang rape,” the defense described an August 2013 scene for jurors in Los Angeles federal court that sounded like a porn movie.
They said the woman gave lap dances earlier under a sky full of stars by the side of Rose’s pool overlooking city lights, performed oral sex on Rose and had sex with his two friends before inviting them back to her apartment.
The woman’s lawyer said the story about her having sex earlier in the night was falsely concocted to try to show she was insatiable and wanted to have sex with the men later that night. He said the three got into her apartment in the early morning hours after she passed out from drinking and raped her while she faded in and out of consciousness.
Lawyers for Aaron Hernandez ask for no shooter decription from witnesses during trial
BOSTON — Lawyers for former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez asked a judge on Wednesday to prevent the jury at his upcoming double murder trial from hearing descriptions of the shooter from two witnesses who were inside a car prosecutors say Hernandez sprayed with bullets.
Hernandez is scheduled to go on trial in February in the 2012 killings of two Boston men prosecutors allege he shot after an encounter at a nightclub. He is accused of following the men and then opening fire on their car after one of them accidentally bumped into him in the club and caused him to spill a drink.
During a hearing in Suffolk Superior Court, defense attorney Jose Baez said the descriptions given by two other men in the car have changed over time, are unreliable and should be excluded from the trial.
Title IX coordinator says top Baylor leaders undermined effort to invetigate sexual assault claims
DALLAS — The former Title IX coordinator at Baylor University said top campus leaders undermined her efforts to investigate sexual assault claims and were more concerned with protecting the Baylor “brand” than the students.
Patty Crawford told “CBS This Morning” that the university set her up “to fail from the beginning.” Crawford, who resigned Monday from her role enforcing the federal standards meant to prevent discrimination based on gender, said she received “resistance” from senior leadership but did not identify those leaders.
Later Wednesday, Baylor officials announced that they had promoted Crawford’s senior deputy, Kristan Tucker, as the university’s new Title IX coordinator.
In her televised interview, Crawford said Baylor officials marginalized her by leaving her out of meetings, undermining her authority and making decisions that should be left to a Title IX coordinator. The treatment led her to file complaints with the university and U.S. Department of Education’s office for civil rights. Charges that she was the victim of retaliation are included in those complaints.
NCAA now facing 43 class-action lawsuits related to concussions
The NCAA is now facing 43 class-action lawsuits related to the handling of concussions by Division I football programs after 18 more were filed this week.
The complaints also name college conferences and in some cases schools. The Chicago-based law firm Edelson PC has been filing the lawsuits in batches since May.
The latest were filed Tuesday on behalf of former players from Texas A&M, UCLA, Maryland, Richmond, Idaho, South Carolina, Mississippi, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Alabama and Iowa.
On Monday, former players from Memphis, Ball State, Rutgers, Eastern Michigan and Florida A&M filed lawsuits.
The players are seeking damages for injuries they claim are the result of mishandled concussions they suffered while playing college football.
A judge in a previous case ruled one large class-action concussion lawsuit could not be filed against the NCAA.
Miami Marlins making roster moves
MIAMI — Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds was fired along with third base coach Lenny Harris and bullpen coach Reid Cornelius.
Miami also announced a $40 million, three-year contract with third baseman Martin Prado, who would have been eligible for free agency, and exercised a $2 million club option on outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.
Miami finished fourth in the majors in batting average at .263 but fourth-lowest in runs at 655 and next-to-last with 128 homers. The Marlins improved in all three categories from 2015.
Manager Don Mattingly said the organization decided to move in a different direction with its coaching staff.