Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The NBA star has been accused of some pretty AWFUL things.
By Bob Alaburda — Written on Oct 28, 2015
A woman who chooses to remain anonymous has claimed she was sexually assaulted by Derrick Rose in Los Angeles in 2013. Rose denies the allegations.
Whenever a high-profile, highly charged story like this hits the media, it’s easy to jump to conclusions. People on social media either want to label Derrick Rose a monster, or his accuser a gold-digger.
It’s important to remember to stay level-headed and fair until all the facts are in.
What if you blast Rose on Facebook for being a rapist, and it turns out he was an innocent man, falsely accused? What if you tweet about how his accuser is just looking for a payday, and it turns out you were trashing a rape victim?
The answer is, you look like a jerk.
It’s easy to forget that people in the news are just that … people. Saying mean-spirited things about them is still mean-spirited. Save your judgments until we know what really happened.
So instead of speculating on what went down and who is at fault, here are the facts:
1. It’s a civil suit (as opposed to criminal).
In other words, Rose is not facing jail time. If found guilty (or he settles), Rose will be compelled to pay his accuser a sum of money ultimately determined by the judge.
2. She’s seeking $21.5 million in damages.
And when I said “a sum of money,” that’s the number she’s asking for. The judge could award her more or less based on the circumstances of the trial.
3. She says Rose broke into her home LA with two other men and then drugged and gang-raped her.
She says they took turns raping her while she was passed out.
4. Rose claims the sex was consensual.
He does not deny the encounter took place, but says that it wasn’t rape.
5. Rose says he and his accuser had engaged in group sex multiple times before the incident in question.
If true, then we’re not looking at a one-night stand gone wrong situation, but more of an ongoing relationship that went south.
6. Rose claims the accuser is retaliating because of a sex toy he didn’t reimburse her for.
Rose says she bought it, then got mad when he didn't pay her back for it.
So far, we’ve mostly heard his side of the story. It will be interesting to see how it plays out as the situation develops.
7. The trial will likely occur sometime in 2017.
This according to TMZ. Justice, unfortunately moves slow, and we’ll have to wait a while for answers. That is unless it is settled out of court before then.
