Matt Araiza accused of rape, served with a lawsuit.

[Alphadawg7]

7 minutes ago, appoo said:

 

you're probably right, and it's unfortunate if Matt becomes a victim or a larger narrative - but honestly the response to the me too movement, and to the Watson accusers, and any number of women who've been brave enough to step forward - that I actually blame men who attack women who step up for Araiza getting cut for moral outrage. I mean women root for the Bills. They spend money on their kids to buy stuff, they vote, they have jobs that impact the Bills....the organization needs to be sensitive to that

 

We live in times where people want to make accusation of a crime a worse crime than the crime itself.

 

I go back to the rhetorical question - why don't women step forward? We're seeing it on twitter and other places, and we're definitely seeing it from this lawyer who's calling a 17 year who likely was raped, a scam artist chasing his client for money - publicly. 

 

This is just disgusting and chilling behavior

But…you’re assuming Araiza is guilty.  Because if he is actually innocent of the gang rape, then she would be a scam artist trying to tie Araiza to a horrendous crime for the purpose of getting money.  So his client defending his innocence is going to see her as trying to scam money from Araiza.

 

The issue today, is we don’t know if Matt is involved or guilty of the accusations involving a gang rape.  
 

So everyone needs to calm down, no one on this board is qualified to decide who is the victim because no one conducted an investigation here.  We need to wait until the results of the full investigation unfold before anyone decides whose lying or who is the victim.  
 

The good news is Bills felt good enough after their month long investigation into this to cut Haack and keep Araiza, that alone should give people pause before the rush to judgement.

[nkreed]

2 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

"the prosecutor has to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant did not reasonably and actually mistaken the alleged victim’s age."

 

If she testifies that he never asked her age, the prosecutor can claim that there was no way he could "reasonably and actually have mistaken her age"

Defense comes back with a bunch of witnesses who say she said her age in front of everyone, including Ariza. Then there is a reasonable way to determine her age without asking her directly.

[The Wiz]

1 minute ago, SectionC3 said:

I have no idea what this means.  

 

 

[Simon]

6 minutes ago, phypon said:

My statements have not been ignorant.  

 

Suggesting that a teenage girl who was bloody and bruised and who immediately reported being gang-raped to multiple people was simply "having sex with other men" is the definition of ignorant. If you can't recognize that and continue to double down on your disgusting take, you have way bigger issues than being potentially tossed off an internet message board.

I've got to get up at 6:30 and go to work so I am signing off; I suggest you do the same in case I'm tired and cranky with an itchy banning finger in the morning.

[BillsShredder83]

22 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

 

Are we really attached to a guy we apparently only signed 3 days ago?

the implication here by alleged victim atty is "hes so good buffalo will turn a blind eye", when really i read it as, araiza immediately reported this to buffalo, they did their investigation, likely spoke to witnesses or have credible witness accounts, and decided to stand behind a guy that caused no harm.

 

araiza may have had sex with this woman. he may have led her to a room she could crash out in.... doesnt mean he fed her to the wolves. if he left her in there solo, went about his night, left her where he could reasonably expect her to be safe, and then in unknown time frame later..... was assaulted by a pack of fn mongrels.... its posssible for him to have had non forceful, willing sex.... with a girl that claimed to be 18, was not slurring or stumbling, according to her friends (who didnt know mat)..... he caused no harm, never carried malice, didnt throw anyone to the wolves...... happens to be the only one involved with money... she feels wronged and lashes out at the only viable target........ 

 

This is where im at, and i started at cut this scumbag. poor girl never deserved to be raped, but based on the story, and my belief in mcd/beane/pegulas (kim!!!)... they cut haack, i think theyll stand behind a young guy like that. thats me and my opinion, with the info i have now.

[HappyDays]

2 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

The accusations are possibly the worst for an active NFL player since Hernandez.

 

It actually is not clear to me that Araiza is being accused of participating in the alleged gang rape. That was my initial perception too, but the LA Times story doesn't make that connection. It seems like he is being accused of statutory rape with a 17 year old, and others at the party were responsible for anything else that allegedly happened. Is a 21 year old unknowingly having sex with a 17 year old at a college party an unspeakable crime? I don't think it is. At the very least Araiza put himself in a really bad situation, but everyone who went to college knows that drunk sex between strangers happens all the time.

 

I will wait for more facts to come out before I decide if Araiza should lose his career over this. I think the Bills should at least sideline him for the final preseason game and give the story a couple weeks to develop before putting him in front of fans.

[SectionC3]

8 minutes ago, mikemac2001 said:

Still this seems bs if multiple times she said she was 18 which some reports said. I’m not trying to side with it but if she lied multiple times about her age in front of people like wtf he would have her ID.

 

These situations trigger me bc it’s all he said she said but if there are people to vouch she said 18 then she lied about that 

 

now the other stuff idk 

It might not be all he said she said.  To my understanding the alleged vic submitted to a rape kit.  Without getting too deep in the weeds, that exam can establish forcible penetration inconsistent with consensual intercourse.  Medical evidence of rape.  Then it’s a question of who did it.  That’s where DNA helps.  Got tearing plus DNA match?  Also then have a perp.  Only he said she said in that scenario would be him saying they were consensual partners and physical injury caused by a different partner. 

Edited August 26, 2022 by SectionC3

[Mr. WEO]

1 minute ago, nkreed said:

Defense comes back with a bunch of witnesses who say she said her age in front of everyone, including Ariza. Then there is a reasonable way to determine her age without asking her directly.

 

Cut off a limb and count the rings?

 

 

Anyway, they are also alleging rape by intoxication.  There is no mistake of fact defense for that.

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

7 minutes ago, Starr Almighty said:

For the what if she lied about her age crowd. This is the law in California. If he had sex with her and they want to arrest him they can. All they need is proof he had sex with her.

I’m not sure it is that cut and dry. Notice it also says “could be charged” and not “will be charged”. 
 

Hypothetically if a girl has a fake ID and is drinking at a bar, has sex with someone she meets there and later is found out to be 17 I don’t see that as a slam dunk case against the accused.

[SectionC3]

3 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

But…you’re assuming Araiza is guilty.  Because if he is actually innocent of the gang rape, then she would be a scam artist trying to tie Araiza to a horrendous crime for the purpose of getting money.  So his client defending his innocence is going to see her as trying to scam money from Araiza.

 

The issue today, is we don’t know if Matt is involved or guilty of the accusations involving a gang rape.  
 

So everyone needs to calm down, no one on this board is qualified to decide who is the victim because no one conducted an investigation here.  We need to wait until the results of the full investigation unfold before anyone decides whose lying or who is the victim.  
 

The good news is Bills felt good enough after their month long investigation into this to cut Haack and keep Araiza, that alone should give people pause before the rush to judgement.

I agree about not rushing to judgment.  I don’t assume quality in internal investigation. 

[JoPoy88]

2 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

But…you’re assuming Araiza is guilty.  Because if he is actually innocent of the gang rape, then she would be a scam artist trying to tie Araiza to a horrendous crime for the purpose of getting money.  So his client defending his innocence is going to see her as trying to scam money from Araiza.

 

The issue today, is we don’t know if Matt is involved or guilty of the accusations involving a gang rape.  
 

So everyone needs to calm down, no one on this board is qualified to decide who is the victim because no one conducted an investigation here.  We need to wait until the results of the full investigation unfold before anyone decides whose lying or who is the victim.  
 

The good news is Bills felt good enough after their month long investigation into this to cut Haack and keep Araiza, that alone should give people pause before the rush to judgement.

respectfully, we do know the girl is a victim based on her injuries and actions the following day. Unless she went to very extraordinary lengths to set up some kind of con, something very bad happened to her. So yes, she is a victim in my mind right now.

 

[nkreed]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Cut off a limb and count the rings?

 

 

Anyway, they are also alleging rape by intoxication.  There is no mistake of fact defense for that.

To which we await the DA to make that determination.

Edited August 26, 2022 by nkreed
Darn autocorrect

[phypon]

1 minute ago, Simon said:

 

Suggesting that a teenage girl who was bloody and bruised and who immediately reported being gang-raped to multiple people was simply "having sex with other men" is the definition of ignorant. If you can't recognize that and continue to double down in your disgusting take, you have way bigger issues than being potentially tossed of an internet message board.

I've got to get up at 6:30 and go to work so I am signing off; I suggest you do the same in case I'm tired and cranky with an itchy banning finger in the morning.

No Simon, ignorance is passing a judgement without having all of the facts and sensationalizing a story that you know nothing about to suit your narrative.  And again, more threats with your moderator status.  You are clearly not fit to be a moderator on here.  Good night, sir!

[SCBills]

3 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

It’s been quite a roller coaster since this thread started. After initial reports I never expected her lawyer to have a Twitter meltdown posting texts and 25 pages of googled California laws. 

Honestly, my opinion of the Bills FO and this absolute joke of a lawyer are why I’m waiting for some kind of vindication for Araiza to be imminent. 
 

But then Araiza’s lawyer, or whoever that is, decides to utter the phrase “cash grab” with the subtlety of a brick and I’m just at a loss…

 

End of the day, Bills probably have 3-5 days to make this go away.  No way the NFL let’s us open the season with this guy on the roster and this hanging over him. 

[Mr. WEO]

1 minute ago, nkreed said:

To which we await the DA to make that determination.

 

It's in the lawsuit.

[Motorin']

1 minute ago, chongli said:

 

Release Araiza? But what if he hasn't done anything wrong?

 

Here's the thing, even if he didn't do anything wrong he appears to have been lawyered up and never reported to the Bills that a woman has been "falsely" accusing him of rape for the past seven months. 

 

Unless the Bills are lying and he did disclose during the pre-draft process, Araiza looks like he tried to hide this from the team. 

 

 

[Rc2catch]

So the victims lawyer, during his twitter rant posted the pics of his texts/emails and he didn’t block out any phone numbers or email addresses? I’m a twitter rookie and even I know to cross out personal info 

[RussellDopeland]

This is a colossal goat f***! I cannot believe that this team would saddle itself with this crap, on the cusp of a season where they are a Super Bowl favorite. The longer this festers, the worse it will be for the team, especially if they "close ranks" around this bonehead, a rookie PUNTER, who is already becoming a gangrenous limb. Loyalty to a rookie punter, who has questionable judgement is, in and unto itself, terrible judgement on the part of this front office and staff. What he did-or didn't do, doesn't matter. He's a millstone around this franchise's neck now. They need to cut and run. 

[Warcodered]

1 minute ago, RussellDopeland said:

This is a colossal goat f***! I cannot believe that this team would saddle itself with this crap, on the cusp of a season where they are a Super Bowl favorite. The longer this festers, the worse it will be for the team, especially if they "close ranks" around this bonehead, a rookie PUNTER, who is already becoming a gangrenous limb. Loyalty to a rookie punter, who has questionable judgement is, in and unto itself, terrible judgement on the part of this front office and staff. What he did-or didn't do, doesn't matter. He's a millstone around this franchise's neck now. They need to cut and run. 

Wow what else has happened?

[nkreed]

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

It actually is not clear to me that Araiza is being accused of participating in the alleged gang rape. That was my initial perception too, but the LA Times story doesn't make that connection. It seems like he is being accused of statutory rape with a 17 year old, and others at the party were responsible for anything else that allegedly happened. Is a 21 year old unknowingly having sex with a 17 year old at a college party an unspeakable crime? I don't think it is. At the very least Araiza put himself in a really bad situation, but everyone who went to college knows that drunk sex between strangers happens all the time.

 

I will wait for more facts to come out before I decide if Araiza should lose his career over this. I think the Bills should at least sideline him for the final preseason game and give the story a couple weeks to develop before putting him in front of fans.

The civil suit implies strongly that Ariza was involved in the gang rape. From the suit directly:

 

Araiza then led Doe inside the house, past the living room, and into a bedroom. There
were at least three other men already in the bedroom, including defendants Leonard and Ewaliko. 
Once inside, Araiza threw Doe onto the bed face first. Doe went in and out of consciousness while
she was being raped, but she does remember some moments from the horrific gang rape.