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    Steelers QB settles lawsuit alleging '08 rape

    By SCOTT SONNER | Associated Press – Fri, Jan 20, 2012

    RENO, Nev. (AP) — Lawyers for Ben Roethlisberger and a woman who accused him of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino in 2008 have reached a settlement that ends her civil lawsuit against the Steelers quarterback.

    Cal Dunlap, the Reno lawyer representing the woman, confirmed the settlement on Friday but declined to discuss the terms of the agreement.

    "The matter has been resolved and I have no further comment," he told The Associated Press.

    The Reno Gazette-Journal first reported the settlement on its website. It also dismisses claims against Harrah's employees whom the woman had accused of covering up the alleged sexual assault in Roethlisberger's penthouse suite in July 2008.

    Dunlap first told Washoe District Court Judge Brent Adams in papers filed last Nov. 30 that his client wanted to have a stay lifted so the case could be dismissed because a settlement was pending.

    "All parties have reached a resolution of all claims and counterclaims," he wrote.

    Adams formally dismissed the case Dec. 27 but neither side had publicized it until now.

    David Cornwell, Roethlisberger's lawyer, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment on Friday. His agent, Ryan Tollner, said neither he nor Roethlisberger would have any comment.

    The Nevada Supreme Court had ruled against the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback's request in August to have the case moved from Reno to Carson City because it was closer to where the alleged incident had occurred at Harrah's in Stateline.

    The woman was a VIP casino hostess at Harrah's when she said Roethlisberger allegedly lured her to his room under the pretense of fixing his television. Roethlisberger was in town at the time to play in a celebrity golf tournament.

    Roethlisberger denied the allegations.

    The original lawsuit filed in 2009 sought a minimum of $440,000 in damages from the quarterback, at least $50,000 in damages from the Harrah's officials and an unspecified amount in punitive damages.

    The woman said she never filed a criminal complaint because she feared Harrah's would side with Roethlisberger and she would be fired.

     
    • Mark
      Mark  •  Spokane, Washington  •  4 mths ago
      I thought he was innocent so why a settlement?
      • Mutt
        Mutt 4 mths ago
        You took the words right out of my mouth. He has enough money to fight this and come out of it with a clean name, so as you say why settle?
      • Spyder Man
        Spyder Man 4 mths ago
        To get rid of the lawyers you idiots! Put the crap to bed--enough is enough. Only the lawyers were the winners in this case--the others just got an expensive education.
      • Michael
        Michael 4 mths ago
        To make all of that nonsense go away, that's why. No matter how bad she looked or how silly and conflicting her statements were (and she does and they did)no one will remember her 30 days down the road. She's now paid and off to spend his money in anonymity.
    • FlyHigh
      FlyHigh  •  San Antonio, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      at least we now know that Harrahs VIP Hostess fixes TVs. Its amazing she didnt call maintenance and wait until the union hears about this.
    • Robert
      Robert  •  4 mths ago
      I always pay off people who falsely accuse me.....
      • Michael
        Michael 4 mths ago
        If you had 1/10 of what he had at stake you might think otherwise.
      • allen
        allen 4 mths ago
        Lol! A wise policy.
    • Tony
      Tony  •  Colton, California  •  4 mths ago
      If you've got money, you don't go to jail for rape!.
      • Sean
        Sean 4 mths ago
        Being white and a quarterback helps too! But ya people sure do like money
      • SteveS
        SteveS 4 mths ago
        If you are a rich and famous man. Beware of women that let you do them. Every new pro athelete is warned of this. Groupies are after the attention and the money.
      • pw
        pw 4 mths ago
        You also don't go to jail when the sex is consensual. Or when rape can't be proven.
    • jay
      jay  •  4 mths ago
      these types of settlements make both parties look bad.
    • Tab
      Tab  •  4 mths ago
      I nicknamed a dog Roethlisberger at a local dog park because he tries to hump everything in sight.
    • WoodyJohnson
      WoodyJohnson  •  Austin, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      Quote from John: "Who cares about the lawsuit. Did the TV ever get fixed?"

      Now that's funny right there, I don't care who ya' are! Chalk one up for John!!!!!!
    • Michael
      Michael  •  Las Vegas, Nevada  •  4 mths ago
      This is the biggest problem with our court system and everyone applauds when it happens. If you're not convicted of a crime, then how can you be convicted in a civil court? How can a woman allege that she's been raped then WITHDRAW the charge once she gets paid? Isn't it in the community's interest that a RAPIST gets put behind bars if he is guilty? But no, she can trade her "rape" for some serious money and an alleged threat to the safety of the community takes a walk.

      It's not rape then... it's prostitution "ex post facto." But instead of the hooker and the john setting the price, the lawyers haggle it out.
    • Anti-Theist
      Anti-Theist  •  Portland, Oregon  •  4 mths ago
      Kill dogs, spend two years in jail and become a pariah throughout society. Get accused of sexually assaulting two women, pay a fine, and still get play quarterback in the Super Bowl. Justice.
      • Blue bulldog
        Blue bulldog 4 mths ago
        he aint there this year.
      • Jeff
        Jeff 4 mths ago
        There is a difference between "accused" and "convicted", get a clue.
      • Anti-Theist
        Anti-Theist 4 mths ago
        There is a difference between being black and being white. Get a clue. Name a black NFL player accused of sexual assault. I'm waiting. Huh? Who? Huh? Really?
    • Angel S
      Angel S  •  Akron, Ohio  •  4 mths ago
      2 times in collage 2 times in the nfl somethings not right here. but as long as he can throw a ball its all good, the dumbing down of america. wow
      • A Yahoo! User 4 mths ago
        I've never seen sex in a collage. Twice you say?
      • Anthony Kendrick
        Anthony Kendrick 4 mths ago
        Maybe he meant cottage, lol.
      • Randy
        Randy 4 mths ago
        used to live in wadsworth for yrs i agree completely what a douche bag he is (go browns)
    • chad
      chad  •  4 mths ago
      cause i know most vip hostesses fix tv's in hotel rooms
    • The RiverMaster
      The RiverMaster  •  Knoxville, Tennessee  •  4 mths ago
      That's an awful expensive piece of pussycat. Heck a hoe in Reno? 50 bucks.
      Roethlisberger's memoirs? 5 bucks. The attorneys are the only weiners!
    • US
      US  •  4 mths ago
      my wife works for harrahs... they would have sided with BIG BEN and fired her in a heart beat....
    • wolley
      wolley  •  4 mths ago
      " Roethlisberger allegedly lured her to his room under the pretense of fixing his television".
      Is fixing television in the job description for a hotel hostess?
    • Capt. Thunderpants
      Capt. Thunderpants  •  Houston, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      It was all about the money.
    • Michael T
      Michael T  •  4 mths ago
      The "matter" has been resolved. Now it never happened. She's been unscrewed.
    • Jim McClary
      Jim McClary  •  4 mths ago
      Everyone claiming what a douchebag Ben is--but when Michael Jackson did the same thing, he was simply the victim of extortion.
    • Larson E. Whipsnade
      Larson E. Whipsnade  •  4 mths ago
      Tebow gets down on his knee to pray to God while Roethlisberger gets down on his knee to beg women not to press charges.
    • Gary
      Gary  •  Fort Myers, Florida  •  4 mths ago
      i wonder what would of happen if it was just one of us regular folks who did what he did?
    • Tiger boy
      Tiger boy  •  4 mths ago
      Bet that was expensive piece of it!
     Post a comment
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