# Lawyer: Emails exonerate Ben Roethlisberger **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 19, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989 "2009-08-19T20:20:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/1 "2009-08-19T20:20:06Z")
[http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;\_ylt=ApPsQDtnvR14t2C1uAizNho5nYcB?slug=ap-roethlisbergerlawsuit&prov=ap&type=lgns](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=ApPsQDtnvR14t2C1uAizNho5nYcB?slug=ap-roethlisbergerlawsuit&prov=ap&type=lgns) If these texts/emails are legit, then this lady should be in jail. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/2 "2009-08-19T21:09:33Z")
She’s a lying gold-digger. Is anyone really surprised after she skipped pressing criminal charges and went straight to the civil suit? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/3 "2009-08-19T21:20:13Z")
I dunno if I’d say they exonerate him. She doesn’t actually say, “I banged Big Ben and it was awesome,” or anything- and the fact that he hasn’t denied sleeping with her yet is a bit worrying. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/4 "2009-08-19T21:47:12Z")
IMO, for these emails/text to “exonerate” him would require the content to be more along the lines of, “Guess what Friend X, I have a great plan to make a lot of money by falsely accusing a football player of rape!” Right now they cast a pretty healthy helping of doubt on her accusations, but they don’t flat-out, 100% disprove anything. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/5 "2009-08-19T21:51:19Z")
> [@](#): > > and the fact that he hasn’t denied sleeping with her yet is a bit worrying. The picture that seems to be emerging here is that he did sleep with her, but that it was consensual. Which would probably be something that Rothlisberger and his lawyers would want to neither confirm nor deny. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/6 "2009-08-19T21:54:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I dunno if I’d say they exonerate him. She doesn’t actually say, “I banged Big Ben and it was awesome,” or anything- and the fact that he hasn’t denied sleeping with her yet is a bit worrying. Not only did he not deny it, he acknowledged it from the very beginning. Other than dipping it in the crazy, I have yet to see any evidence whatsoever that he did anything wrong. As it is she’s scarcely credible, these e-mails simply seal the deal on that. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/7 "2009-08-20T02:13:40Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Other than dipping it in the crazy, I have yet to see any evidence whatsoever that he did anything wrong. Me either, but I hate the Steelers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/8 "2009-08-20T06:28:00Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I dunno if I’d say they exonerate him. She doesn’t actually say, “I banged Big Ben and it was awesome,” or anything- and the fact that he hasn’t denied sleeping with her yet is a bit worrying. The implication that anyone who doesn’t want to blather to the media about their personal lives must be somehow criminal if fucking asinine. Who are you, Kenneth Starr? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/9 "2009-08-20T06:50:52Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;\_ylt=ApPsQDtnvR14t2C1uAizNho5nYcB?slug=ap-roethlisbergerlawsuit&prov=ap&type=lgns](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=ApPsQDtnvR14t2C1uAizNho5nYcB?slug=ap-roethlisbergerlawsuit&prov=ap&type=lgns) > > If these texts/emails are legit, then this lady should be in jail. Thoughts? In jail for what? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/10 "2009-08-20T11:40:44Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > In jail for what? My guees would be some combination of fraud, slander and libel. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/11 "2009-08-20T13:47:55Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > The implication that anyone who doesn’t want to blather to the media about their personal lives must be somehow criminal if fucking asinine. Who are you, Kenneth Starr? He called a fucking press conference to discuss the suit. Clearly, he _does_ want to blather to the media about it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/12 "2009-08-20T15:53:45Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > He called a fucking press conference to discuss the suit. Clearly, he _does_ want to blather to the media about it. Given his stature he’s kind of obligated to, otherwise people will be camping out on his lawn with microphones and cameras. As far as I know he’s not married - I don’t know if he is single - so I don’t see why it would be troubling if he has not denied sleeping with this woman. The emails don’t _prove_ that he didn’t assault her but it’s near impossible to believe someone who was sexually assault would say the things she said. Also damning is the testimony from her coworker who said she bragged about sleeping with him. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/13 "2009-08-20T16:35:57Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > My guees would be some combination of fraud, slander and libel. It’s not fraud to file a lawsuit, nor is it libel. No one goes to jail for libel or slander anyway. At worst, she might have some civil liability, but she wouldn’t be facing any criminal charges. She never filed a police report or anything. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/14 "2009-08-23T00:36:54Z")
It is not against the law to make a false statement to a federal court? a state court? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/15 "2009-08-23T00:40:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > He called a fucking press conference to discuss the suit. Clearly, he _does_ want to blather to the media about it. To discuss the **suit**. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/16 "2009-08-23T01:33:23Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Me either, but I hate the Steelers. 😃 I applaude your honesty:) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/17 "2009-08-23T02:30:22Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > It is not against the law to make a false statement to a federal court? a state court? She didn’t. She made no criminal charges at all. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/18 "2009-08-23T03:00:07Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > It is not against the law to make a false statement to a federal court? a state court? She hasn’t made any false statements to a court yet. You can’t get (criminally) penalized for the content of a civil complaint. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/19 "2009-08-24T14:35:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > She hasn’t made any false statements to a court yet. You can’t get (criminally) penalized for the content of a civil complaint. I guess you learn something every day. You mean the pleadings that you file in court do not fall under any perjury statutes? I can misrepresent myself and the facts of what I am saying without fear of punishment? For example, I could file for bankruptcy and lie about my trust funds and brokerage accounts in the pleadings, and if caught, then there are no worries for me? \*not trying to be snarky ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989/20 "2009-08-24T14:38:37Z")
Filing for bankruptcy is not a civil complaint. It’s not a crime to _sue_ somebody, no matter how meritless the lawsuit. No, it’s not perjury. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-emails-exonerate-ben-roethlisberger/506989.md?page=2)