Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger reacted to the lawsuit filed against him by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her by, among other things, seeking sanctions against the attorney who filed the lawsuit.
In a motion for sanctions arising under procedural rules aimed at addressing allegedly frivolous claims, Roethlisberger claimed that lawyer Calvin Dunlap filed the action without conducting a sufficient investigation into the facts of the case, relying instead on the version of the events that the accuser allegedly concocted.
On Thursday, a judge in Nevada denied the motion for sanctions in a short, one-page order explaining that Dunlap “met the minimal standards required to avoid the imposition of sanctions.”
Roethlisberger’s lawer, David Cornwell, issued the following statement in response to the news.
“The Court’s finding that Ms. McNulty’s lawyer met the ‘minimal standards required to avoid the imposition of sanctions’ suggests that the Court is giving Ms. McNulty the benefit of the doubt at a stage in the proceedings where a full examination of her contemporaneous statements and conduct is premature,” Cornwell said.
The outcome isn’t a surprise. Then again, Roethlisberger’s legal team likely didn’t file the motion with the intention of prevailing, but as an attempt to squeeze Dunlap and/or the accuser into dropping the case of accepting a nuisance-value settlement.
It didn’t work, and now the case proceeds. Based on the initial rulings generated by the Court, it appears that a trial could be coming, even though the accuser still has a lot of explaining to do regarding an e-mail she sent before the alleged incident.
After watching d*uche Big Ben on WWE Raw, I hope to god he loses this case. He is such a giant tool bag. If it weren’t for some mediocre football talent and one of the best defenses ever, he would be on the same level as Alex Smith right now.
If Ben’s legal team is smart, and they are, they’ll bleed every red cent from this skank and her mickey mouse lawyer “Cal” Dumblap. Just a minor obstacle on the way to Sticky Lombardi # 7.
She is just ANOTHER Thirsty GOLD diggin $LUT!
I bet Big Ben wishes this was one pass he made would have been incomplete.
There’s an awful lot of smoke for there to be no fire.
Rothlisberger’s lawyer made a big deal out of attacking the accuser’s lawyer. Then the court rules against their motion. Then Rothlisberger’s lawyer makes a public statement saying that the judge is effectively biased.
For the first time, it looks like Rothlisberger’s legal team might be scared.
@ chapnasty – you watch WWE Raw!?! So you are either a 4th grader or still living at home w/ your parents collecting action figures.
Judging someone based on a staged television show and how they “act” (act being the operative word) just shows your intelligence level.
“mediocre talent” “same level as Alex Smith”
hahahhahahahahahahahhaahahah the NFL should hire you for your ability to evaluate talent! I hear Ryan Leaf is still available.
Chapnasty: “If it weren’t for some … football talent … he would be on the same level as Alex Smith right now.”
Brilliant!
Chapnasty, congrats on the dumbest post of the year here! Ben at Alex Smith level? Child please!
He is top 10 ALL TIME in NFL HISTORY in a bunch of categories:
#8 All Time in QB Rating
#7 All Time in completion %
# 4 All Time in Yards Per Attempt
#20 All Time in yards per game
and over the past 6 years he:
*leads the league in 4th qtr comebacks
*has won more SB’s than any other QB
*had the most wins ever for a rookie QB at 13-0
*Was the AP Rookie of the year in 2004.
*Threw 32 TD passes in 2007
*Led the greatest drive in SB history
*Is 8-2 in the playoffs
Oh, and he’s had a QB rating over 98 FOUR times in 6 years. Joe Montana had four as well. In 15 years. Marino only did it once in his career. John Elway never did it. Favre, just once before this year.
Keep on hating, and looking stupid in the process!
-If it weren’t for some mediocre football talent and one of the best defenses ever, he would be on the same level as Alex Smith right now.-
That’s idiotic beyond words.
This is a football site.. right?
Please don’t start writing stories about every NFL player who got laid… then got in trouble…
chapnasty says:
October 23, 2009 6:26 AM
After watching d*uche Big Ben on WWE Raw, I hope to god he loses this case. He is such a giant tool bag. If it weren’t for some mediocre football talent and one of the best defenses ever, he would be on the same level as Alex Smith right now.
**********
cowchiplovernasty is an uneducated d-o-p-e. I guess he doesn’t follow football much. If he did, he would know Ben’s leadership standing in the league right now in the passing department and most QB offensive stats, with what he refers to as “mediocre football talent”. I don’t care how damn good your defense is, you cannot post as many wins in a brief career as he has, and the stats he has this year particularly, if you didn’t have MORE than “mediocre football talent”. BTW, the defense is not as good this year as it has been in the past.
Dude, I guess you don’t care if your ID has any credibility, since it certainly does not have any. So have fun, carry on, and post away with your worthless drivel!
@chapnasty says: October 23, 2009 6:26 AM
Damn dude, do Ben & the Steelers scare you that much?
Holy crap. Why do these two keep going after each other? Nothing ever comes of any of this crap…get on with your lives.
Bottom line: It’s her word against his.
What little “evidence” exists seems to implicate her in a simple money grab.
Chapnasty…
You got Romo, and you call Ben a “tool bag” and a “mediocre football talent”?
Do I really need to explain that any further?
I still cannot believe people like Chapnasty who continue to say Ben has mediocre talent and relies on his defense. If you believe that you must not watch football at all. He is fourth in the entire league in QB rating this year and second in efficiency, while leading the league in passing yards so far. My guess is that people like Chapnasty just like the sight of their own words and that people pay attention to them on blogs so they just write whatever, regardless of the facts.
# Katmanduu says: October 23, 2009 6:46 AM
If Ben’s legal team is smart, and they are, they’ll bleed every red cent from this skank and her mickey mouse lawyer “Cal” Dumblap. Just a minor obstacle on the way to Sticky Lombardi # 7.
She looks like Mr, Ed and Bugs Bunny hooked up. But, I agree. Big Ben has the resources to break her down financially. Once the $$$$ runs out, lawyers tend to become disinterested.
YES! he shoudl be suspended for this game against my Vikes! HAHA
You still think he is going to settle? I would think the asmission of being with her and filing a countersuit would ahve stopped that. I think they are in this for the long haul. The judge had to deny the motion to sanction if he denied the motions to dismiss and I have a feeling you already know this Florio. i read that her lawyer is confident right now because he won this one. Well Im gonna throw this out there. Where was the confidence last week when he got served with not one but two countersuits and refused to comment , and I would say the others will countersue aslo. So no dont see settlement in Nutjob and Dumblaps future. And will he be as confident when the discovery phase starts and he has to show what proof they have, which I beleive they have none, and has to prove that she is telling I truth, which I believe he can not. i think the countersuit last week , revealing a little more of what they have on McNutty still isnt the bulk of it. So then when it gets to summary of judgement and he has to prove all of thier lies, I would say they are in trouble. Open call to press for Bens past flings is not evidence. Oh and by the way with the countersuit, now her sexual history comes in to play. Which in other words she will be exposed for the whore she is , we already know she is a liar, So no I do not see settlement in Mcnulty’s future, maybe a trip back tpo Cananda when her Visa is revoked for obtaining it under false pretenses. Yea that was brought to light now too.. So your hope that he settles isnt going to happen. So my question is when Ms. Mcnutty is exposed and proven a liar will you give it the same attention you have telling all about Ben . Becasue you left out a lot of the motion last week that went in to alot more detail about Ms. McNutty.
The lady may be a gold digger, but that does not mean that Ben did not rape her. If the judge did not throw this out, then that means that there are merits to this charge. I hope he gets what he deserves.
Strap on that helmet Ben and forget about this bullshit for now. Ms. McNuttjob is the least of your worries right now. Jared,Pat and Kevin are coming to town and they are pissed off about lasts weeks 4th quarter meltdown. Bring your A game and it will be a great game.
“# Bazooka Joe says: October 23, 2009 9:52 AM
If the judge did not throw this out, then that means that there are merits to this charge. I hope he gets what he deserves.”
The judge has already been identified as just another attention whore, looking for his 15 minutes, like McNulty. He’s going to milk this for all it’s worth.
Ben needs to settle this before the proceedings interrupt the all important work at hand–
The Steelers 3rd consecutive playoff miss following a Superbowl!
’79
’05
’08
# Bazooka Joe says: October 23, 2009 9:52 AM
The lady may be a gold digger, but that does not mean that Ben did not rape her. If the judge did not throw this out, then that means that there are merits to this charge. I hope he gets what he deserves.
______________________________
Don’t be naive.
Ben will get what he deserves all right, its jus going to take a lil time. He will be exonerated in court, the stupid b!tch won’t get a dime…..course all this will happen after the Vikings beat the Steelers on Sunday!
“Money for nothing, and chicks for free”
Sometimes the chicks are not for free they just pretend to be!!!
Those motions are never successful, but are tactics by Ben’s legal team to influence the court down the line — basically to show that the plaintiff’s claims are weak. Even weak-ass claims survive these motions. At this point, now that the plaintiff’s case seems poor, they should offer to settle for nuisance value and put this deal behind them. Then they should use the rest of the money earmarked for litigation to teach Ben how to avoid playing hide the bannana with ugly, skanky, stupid-ass, mentally deranged golddiggers.
Ben wants all of the Vikings to report to his hotel room to fix his TV.
Adn I was successful in my attempts! I get more hits than Limbaugh…….
and yes I watch football, far too much probably. And I am not a Steeler’s fan so I can watch them without Bias. Ben has impressed me once, the last drive of the last superbowl and he couldnt have played better in a better time which is what great QB’s do. However, the golden statue doesn’t impress me at any other time. And yes, as I have said a million times, Tony Romo sucks, and I would much rather have Ben as my QB, if they shipped dallas thier o-line as well.
Played em like a damn fiddle…..
hey JPeezy you are wrong about 1 thing,
i the last 6 years Ben has not won more super bowls than any QB, 6 years ago brings us to 2003, tom brady won the SB for the 03 season played in 04, and the 04 season SB played in 05
Ben is very good, but is Brady, Brees and Peyton, then every one else
Chapnasty…dont worry, I get accused almost daily by steeler fans for having the dumbest post of the year…..
You have to admit, Ben is having a great passing year. There is no one that hates to admit that more than me. I have not watched too many steeler games here lately so I do not know if the ben drama-faces (whincing in pain) is ongoing but I would imagine as well as he is playing there is no need to act hurt.
I will get to watch the game this week. Should be a good game.
Ben Roethlisberger, fattest QB ever? or fattest QB of the decade?
chapnasty – mommy didnt give you enough attention? just need attention from steelers fans? i guess trolling steelers fans is the closest thing you will be able to get to a championship.
@purple guy basically to show that the plaintiff’s claims are weak. Even weak-ass claims survive these motions. At this point, now that the plaintiff’s case seems poor, they should offer to settle for nuisance value and put this deal behind them
Yes they are weak. But let me ask you this , if you were falsley accused and was being smeared in the Media like Ben is , then would you settle for something you did not do? How would that make him look, UH Guilty! and I do not beleive he is, she should not be paid for her lies. Yes she is entitled to her day in court, but I still do not think it will see the light of a court room, I think when the discovery phase starts, I think that is when, Nutjobs ambulance chaser will squirm,, And then if they prove, and I believe they will that he knew she was lying all along, then they can refile the motion for sanctions and I think it will be successful the next time. Ask the attorney for the accuser of the Duke Lacrosse team. Only thing I see in their futures is Ms. Mcnutty’s visa being revoked and her lying ass sent back to Canada. Ambulance chaser disbarred.
No Charlie, mom didnt pay any attention to me. It is terrible, you can see my twin brother’s myspace page if you google “vox veritas”
@ Raven
I live in DC and as bad as Steelers fans are, Redskins fan are worse. Ben is having a great year and its about time. He is a fat, hooker rapin SOB though..
Sic Josh Reed on ‘em – he’s a tough guy.
Maybe he met the legal standard for bringing the suit, but if he takes this loser of a case to trial he should be disbarred for malpractice.
@ Krow, Leatherneck & Birdmancometh …
Krow, if your kids set off 30 smoke bombs in the backyard, it would not mean there’s fire. It would mean your kids set of 30 smoke bombs in the backyard. Her lawyers are setting off smoke bombs in the hopes of getting people to think “Hey, where there’s smoke …”
Leatherneck, Roethlisberger’s legal team isn’t scared. They didn’t expect to win this. Filing these motions is all part of the game. It’s like–pardon the pun–foreplay. They have the better case, and they know it. It’s in Ben’s best interest for the plaintiff to drop it before trial. But I imagine they’re pretty confident they’ll win.
Birdmancometh, welcome to the legal system. Now you know why they say the wheels of justice grind slowly–at least in civil matters. If this were a criminal case, it would be moving a lot faster. Unless someone blinks, they’ll keep sparring like this probably until next preseason.
Football is near and dear to me–but in the end, it’s still a game. Rape accusations aren’t. I’ve read the original complaint and all subsequent filings. As someone with a long history of dealing with rape survivors, someone familiar with the workings of top-flight hotels, and someone who’s gone over the material with a practicing criminal attorney, I’m convinced McNulty is lying to extort money from Ben. And she doesn’t care that her false claim hurts the chances of true victims to be heard and believed.
How can people want to see a guy crucified for something he didn’t do just because they don’t like his football team?
Deb is right. I would not wish being falsely accussed of such a horrible crime on anyone including ben. Something like this is outside of football.
None of us really know what happened that night. All we have to go on is what Florio and other media outlets feed us. Let the legal system do its job. If he is cleared or charges are dropped good for him, if evidence is found that he is guilty, I say put him away!
In the meantime, I will only hope for ben to slump in his passing game before he comes to Bmore and shreds our already suspect secondary!!
Thanks god we have Flacco or we would be losing games 34 – 0.
Great Post Deb, you said it all there.
Ravenamaniac, to your second paragraph , I hope Ben keeps on a roll, and yes Flacco is doing amazing this year. He really impressed me in that Vikes game. he is coming along nicely, but you know the games between the Steelers and Ravens are the best ones all season and I look forward to them. I think it will still be close even with both QBS being pass happy. LOL