OT: No charges filed against Arazia

[18IsTheMan]

He was accused of gang rape earlier this year, so the Bills instantly cut him, before allowing any facts to come to light. Now, the DA has decided there's insufficient to even press charges.

The article notes that teams now can pursue him if they are willing to take the PR hit. I ask, PR hit for what? He's not a criminal and was not criminally charged with anything. All that exists is a totally unsubstantiated allegation.

Hope this guy can get his life back.

No criminal charges will be filed against Matt Araiza

Former Bills punter Matt Araiza, who was cut by the team once accusations of rape came to light, will not face criminal charges for the October 2021 incident.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[Rogue Cock]

Remember....that is IMO the most difficult criminal charge to prove in a court....and it essentially makes the victim relive the entire crime....a lot of people understandably aren't willing to go through that and I can't blame them.

 

[Viennacock]

Remember....that is IMO the most difficult criminal charge to prove in a court....and it essentially makes the victim relive the entire crime....a lot of people understandably aren't willing to go through that and I can't blame them.

Agreed. Although they didn't have sufficient evidence to convict him, the punishment received (sitting out a year) seems to be just punishment. I don't believe for a second that he didn't do something that should go unpunished.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Remember....that is IMO the most difficult criminal charge to prove in a court....and it essentially makes the victim relive the entire crime....a lot of people understandably aren't willing to go through that and I can't blame them.

Yeah, yeah, I know. I know some people will say "just because he wasn't charged doesn't mean he didn't do anything." Well, who's to say, then, we aren't all guilty of gang rape?

 

[18IsTheMan]

Agreed. Although they didn't have sufficient evidence to convict him, the punishment received (sitting out a year) seems to be just punishment. I don't believe for a second that he didn't do something that should go unpunished.

But you have no basis for believing this?

 

[18IsTheMan]

...and if it went to court and he was found "not guilty" folks would say "not guilty doesn't mean innocent!"

 

[Viennacock]

But you have no basis for believing this?

He was punished. I don't need a basis.

 

[Rogue Cock]

Yeah, yeah, I know. I know some people will say "just because he wasn't charged doesn't mean he didn't do anything." Well, who's to say, then, we aren't all guilty of gang rape?

And some people may or may not be right. For whatever reason there wasn't enough evidence that the DA didn't believe s/he could prove the charges "beyond a reasonable doubt." That is a very high standard as it should be.. But I will say that this is one charge where many jurors don't have a absolute bias one way or the other. You don't have the "well if the police arrested him, he must've done something" mentality or vice versa. And it may be the only criminal case where the victim is as much on trial as the suspect.....if you ever saw a rape trial, you will hate the defense attorneys. I dated a lawyer in Columbus who handled rape cases for the PDs office....she would never talk after a trial, just drink.

 

[Go Gamecocks]

All that exists is a totally unsubstantiated allegation.

You're assuming. It may not be enough evidence to bring to trial, but there may be enough for the NFL to say no.

 

[18IsTheMan]

He was punished. I don't need a basis.

You said "I don't believe for a second that he didn't do something that should go unpunished." What inside info do you have? You don't believe that anyone is ever unjustly punished?

 

[18IsTheMan]

You're assuming. It may not be enough evidence to bring to trial, but there may be enough for the NFL to say no.

Ah, yes, that great bastion of morality, the NFL!

 

[HillsToSea]

The girl must not mind reliving it. She is suing

 

[Viennacock]

You said "I don't believe for a second that he didn't do something that should go unpunished." What inside info do you have? You don't believe that anyone is ever unjustly punished?

OJ says hello.

 

[HillsToSea]

You know

Agreed. Although they didn't have sufficient evidence to convict him, the punishment received (sitting out a year) seems to be just punishment. I don't believe for a second that he didn't do something that should go unpunished.

this how?

 

[Go Gamecocks]

Ah, yes, that great bastion of morality, the NFL!

Whatever....you're snarkiness implies bias.

 

[Rogue Cock]

The girl must not mind reliving it. She is suing

Smart way to handle it. It means that the plaintiff's lawyers can depose him and force him to answer questions that the prosecutor could not. This is more making him answer pertinent questions regarding the incident and trapping him into a story that can be more easily proven or disproven. Nice tactic.

 

[Lurker123]

I will say up front that I didn't follow the story, and have no info other than the headline that he was accused and now they won't press charges.

I am troubled by the idea that he needs to be punished simply because he was accused.

 

[Rogue Cock]

I will say up front that I didn't follow the story, and have no info other than the headline that he was accused and now they won't press charges.

I am troubled by the idea that he needs to be punished simply because he was accused.

Depends on the level of proof you require and whether the punishment is civil or criminal. If you are say 75% sure that he did it....that isn't enough for criminal as there is 25% "reasonable doubt." That's a LOT of reasonable doubt and you wouldn't charge him criminally.

 

[Yemacock]

Yeah, yeah, I know. I know some people will say "just because he wasn't charged doesn't mean he didn't do anything." Well, who's to say, then, we aren't all guilty of gang rape?

I have never even thought of me doing a rape, especially gang rape. I have many very good friends, including past acquaintances I didn't have to rape.

 

[winloseortie]

He was accused of gang rape earlier this year, so the Bills instantly cut him, before allowing any facts to come to light. Now, the DA has decided there's insufficient to even press charges.

The article notes that teams now can pursue him if they are willing to take the PR hit. I ask, PR hit for what? He's not a criminal and was not criminally charged with anything. All that exists is a totally unsubstantiated allegation.

Hope this guy can get his life back.

No criminal charges will be filed against Matt Araiza

Former Bills punter Matt Araiza, who was cut by the team once accusations of rape came to light, will not face criminal charges for the October 2021 incident.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Would you trust him to take your drunk daughter home from a frat party?

 

[Lurker123]

Would you trust him to take your drunk daughter home from a frat party?

To be fair, that's a low bar. As a father, I wouldn't trust a lot of guys with my drunk daughter. That doesn't mean he's guilty though.

 

[winloseortie]

To be fair, that's a low bar. As a father, I wouldn't trust a lot of guys with my drunk daughter. That doesn't mean he's guilty though.

To be just as fair, it would mean from the info out about him you would feel irresponsible to let him take your daughter or anybody’s daughter home.

 

[Rogue Cock]

To be fair, that's a low bar. As a father, I wouldn't trust a lot of guys with my drunk daughter. That doesn't mean he's guilty though.

LOL. So True. As a father of 2 girls, I didn't trust ANY guy with my daughter, drunk or sober. I simply told them one thing..."Boys lie, ALL boys lie!"

 

[Lurker123]

To be just as fair, it would mean from the info out about him you would feel irresponsible to let him take your daughter or anybody’s daughter home.

Whether I would trust him or not doesn't make him guilty though. I wouldn't trust a lot of guys with my drunk daughter, but I'm not willing to have each of them punished as a rapist.

 

[Lurker123]

LOL. So True. As a father of 2 girls, I didn't trust ANY guy with my daughter, drunk or sober. I simply told them one thing..."Boys lie, ALL boys lie!"

At what age did you get that confused look, when she says "but daddy, YOU'RE a boy".

 

[winloseortie]

Whether I would trust him or not doesn't make him guilty though. I wouldn't trust a lot of guys with my drunk daughter, but I'm not willing to have each of them punished as a rapist.

And you have totally avoided my question. What I have learned of him, leads to me to clearly not trust him with young women. Does that make him guilty? Who knows! The law is in many ways a game that has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. His behavior, well that is another matter.

 

[Lurker123]

And you have totally avoided my question. What I have learned of him, leads to me to clearly not trust him with young women. Does that make him guilty? Who knows! The law is in many ways a game that has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. His behavior, well that is another matter.

Not avoiding the question. I wouldn't trust him, or just about any other man with my drunk daughter.

All I'm saying is that has absolutley nothing to do with his guilt or innocence.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

To be fair, that's a low bar. As a father, I wouldn't trust a lot of guys with my drunk daughter. That doesn't mean he's guilty though.To

To be fair, fathers don't trust guys with their sober daughters either.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

LOL. So True. As a father of 2 girls, I didn't trust ANY guy with my daughter, drunk or sober. I simply told them one thing..."Boys lie, ALL boys lie!"

And as a BoyMom, I remind Smalls that women can be VERY vindictive and can/will make crap up.

*Not at all saying that is what happened in this specific case.*

 

[HillsToSea]

Smart way to handle it. It means that the plaintiff's lawyers can depose him and force him to answer questions that the prosecutor could not. This is more making him answer pertinent questions regarding the incident and trapping him into a story that can be more easily proven or disproven. Nice tactic.

Doesn’t it open her up for questions that wouldn’t be allowed in criminal court? And, wouldn’t his lawyer be keeping him from being trapped? Also, please don’t send me a bill

 

[18IsTheMan]

I hope he shed her for making false accusations and destroys her.

 

[Rogue Cock]

At what age did you get that confused look, when she says "but daddy, YOU'RE a boy".

LOL.....I got the "Dad, did you lie too?" Without hesitation I said "Yes....that's how I know."

 

[Rogue Cock]

Doesn’t it open her up for questions that wouldn’t be allowed in criminal court? And, wouldn’t his lawyer be keeping him from being trapped? Also, please don’t send me a bill

Not hard to find the dirt on people regardless (social media, friends, acquantences, old boyfriends, etc) and yes they can question her on it. There are now some limits as to how much you can put the victim on trial in criminal court, but good litigators can generally get around those. Hard to save someone from themselves...especially when information can be drawn out in different ways with different seemingly unrelated questions.

 

[The Reel Ess]

LOL. So True. As a father of 2 girls, I didn't trust ANY guy with my daughter, drunk or sober. I simply told them one thing..."Boys lie, ALL boys lie!"

I've known girls and women who could look you in the eye and lie with a straight face. Humans can justify whatever behavior they need to justify.

 

[ToddFlanders]

This isn’t too surprising - especially if all they have is her testimony. He (and the other guys there) don’t have to incriminate themselves.

I also wouldn’t be too surprised if she wins the civil suit as the standard of proof is much different (preponderance of the evidence), and if he were to plead the fifth in a civil trial the jury can take that as an admission of guilt.

I also don’t expect him to ever play in the league again. He absolutely has to answer the NFL’s questions if he wants to play - and if they keep a star QB out for a year and 10 games, what’s a first year punter going to get?