Former casino employee accuses QB Roethlisberger of rape

[Jon Tees]

Former casino employee accuses QB Roethlisberger of rape

By Martha Bellisle, Reno Gazette-Journal
RENO â€" A Nevada woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Ben Roethlisberger accusing the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback of raping her while he attended a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe last year.
The former casino employee at Harrah's Lake Tahoe casino included Harrah's management in the suit, which also accuses casino officials of covering up the attack.

Andrea McNulty said she was working at a desk in the penthouse suite during a celebrity golf tournament last July when Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl winner, called her to his room to fix his television.


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Once there, he forced her on his bed and raped her, the suit said.

When she later told Harrah's security chief Guy Hyder, the suit said, she was told Harrah's Tahoe casino president John Koster was close friends with Roethlisberger, and "most girls would feel lucky to get to have sex with someone like Ben Roethlisberger."

The woman's lawyer, Cal Dunlap, said in the suit that McNulty fell into a deep depression afterward, and spent most of the last six months in and out of hospitals. Dunlap declined to comment further. Efforts to reach McNulty were unsuccessful Tuesday.

The suit, filed Friday in Washoe District Court, names Koster, Hyder and six other casino employees.

Roethlisberger's lawyer David Cornwell denied the claim, saying, "Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone; especially Andrea McNulty." He said the absence of any criminal charges was the most compelling evidence the allegations were false.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was looking into the allegations against Roethlisberger.

"I don't know enough of the details, but it's a civil lawsuit. It's something that we obviously will look into," Goodell said Tuesday when asked about it in New York during an unrelated news conference. "I've been in touch with the Steelers about it."

Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said the team was aware of the suit but declined to comment. He also said Roethlisberger's status with the team had not changed in response to the suit.

Harrah's Entertainment spokeswoman Jacqueline Peterson said the company was not named in the suit and said they did not comment on pending litigation.

Roethlisberger canceled a Thursday news conference at the Steelers' facilities, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was scheduled to promote Shaq Vs., a reality television show. Filming of the show, which pits NBA star Shaquille O'Neal against top athletes, begins this week in Pittsburgh.

Contributing: Nate Davis, Associated Press

The Reno Gazette-Journal is owned by Gannett, parent company of USA TODAY


 

 


 
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http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/steelers/2009-07-21-roethlisberger-lawsuit_N.htm?csp=34 

[Jon Tees]

This seems awfully suspicious given the timing and I honestly don’t see Big Ben doing anything like this, it doesn’t seem like it’s in his nature. Plus would he really need to? Guys like him usually have hot chicks throwing themselves at them on a daily basis. It also seems weird that she would first go to his room to fix his television set herself after failing to find a technician when she’s not a technician, and would wait almost an entire year before coming forward. It seems like it’s merely about getting money as no criminal complaint was ever filed.

[Hondo]

One thing I find almost bizarre is the fact that ESPN is giving this story ZERO coverage. None. Nada. Goose Egg. Makes you wonder why...

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

Kenny got finger banged by Big Ben???

[Kenfucius]

*sniffles*

I always hated the Steelers, NOW YOU KNOW WHY!

Sorry Ian, I'm going to have to flake on DDX, my court date's coming up on deadline day.

[Hondo]

ESPN's been weird lately. They've basically told us every time Brett Favre stopped to poop the last month and followed Mike Vick practically from his holding cell to his house. But not one mention of a potential rape charge? Really?

They also aren't covering the Erin Andrews fiasco. But she's an employee of the network, so I can understand that.  But ignoring a major story involving a pro athlete? C'mon.

[Cory]

Big Bens the man.