Though the details are still emerging regarding the arrest of Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor for allegedly raping a 15-year-old runaway, it appears for now that his legal troubles flow from a prostitution purchase gone awry.
As MDS pointed out earlier today, Taylor is accused of raping a 15-year-old runaway who was “controlled by a pimp.” It could be, then, that Taylor was simply attempting to purchase sex, and that the guy he called produced an underage girl. It doesn’t excuse Taylor’s behavior; indeed, it’s an example of yet another potential consequence of the practice of paying prostitutes. If the prostitute hasn’t reached the legal age of consent, the buyer also has bought a major problem.
And while Taylor’s multiple prior run-ins with the law did not involve any alleged crimes of this nature, he has boasted about a habit of ordering prostitutes for football opponents before a key game. “You know what they like and what type of women they like and you just call the service. What you got?” Taylor told 60 Minutes in 2003, when he was marketing his autobiography. “The idea was to keep the player up all night. Just as long as you can.”
During the same interview, Taylor also joked about showing up for a team meeting in handcuffs. “A couple of ladies that were trying out some new equipment they had,” Taylor said. “You know? And I just happened to, and they just didn’t happen to have the key.”
It’s no joke for Taylor this time. TMZ reports that, when police arrested Taylor, they found a condom and other physical evidence in his hotel room.
Authorities will be providing more information at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Regardless of how it turns out, Taylor will be able to add at least a few more chapters to his autobiography. And there’s a good chance it won’t have a happy ending.