Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown has been accused of rape in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, reports Ben Shpigel of the New York Times.
The woman accusing Brown is apparently his former trainer, according to the lawsuit, which alleges three separate sexual assaults from June of 2017 to May of 2018. Britney Taylor, the accuser, is a gymnast who says she met Brown when they both went to Central Michigan.
Shpigel writes that “first, he exposed himself and kissed her without her permission, the lawsuit says. Later that month, the lawsuit says, while she was watching a television program at his home, Brown started masturbating behind her and ejaculated on her back. Brown bragged about the incident in profane text messages that are copied in the lawsuit.”
Those two incidents allegedly happened in June of 2017, and the lawsuit alleges that Brown then raped her in May of the following year. Nearly immediately after the story broke, Brown’s lawyer Darren Heitner issued a statement on Twitter. In the statement, Heitner denies the allegations on behalf of Brown and says he “will pursue all legal remedies” to clear his name. Heitner does acknowledge that the two had a working relationship, and says they had consensual sex on at least one occasion. Brown’s camp seems to be alleging that this is extortion by Taylor, saying she attempted to elicit $1.6MM from him, and that Brown views it as a “money grab.”
You can view the full lawsuit at this link. Nick Underhill of The Athletic tweeted out some of the documents from the lawsuit that Shpigel references, which purport to be emails from Brown (warning: they’re pretty vulgar). Per Shpigel, Taylor said she would cooperate with the NFL in a potential investigation from the league. “As a rape victim of Antonio Brown, deciding to speak out has been an incredibly difficult decision,” Taylor said in a statement released by her lawyer. “I have found strength in my faith, my family, and from the accounts of other survivors of sexual assault.”
Shortly after the news broke Vic Tafur of The Athletic, a Raiders beat writer, tweeted that “this was coming for a while.” That would seem to suggest the allegations were known by at least some within the league before they came to light, although that’s not entirely clear. It’s also unknown as of right now whether or not the Patriots had any knowledge of the allegations before they signed Brown over the weekend.
Obviously, this threatens Brown’s status moving forward with New England. It’s far too early to jump to any conclusions, although it’s safe to assume that the league will be conducting their own investigation. Brown was already facing a possible suspension for his blowup with Raiders GM Mike Mayock, and now could be looking at additional discipline.
(spit take)
…karma
Sad for the women though
couldnt happen to a nicer guy
Steelers: “A third and a fifth look pretty good right now.”
Raiders: “Absolutely nothing looks pretty good right now.”
Bills: “Thank God he refused to report to us”
Seahawks: “Thank God he turned our offer down”
Browns “Thank God he turned our offer down and all we have to worry about is Our man with the watch”
Patriots: Group face palm……….
Goodell “But he’s so good!”
Please explain how she allows 2 more separate incidents occur when she was uncomfortable with the first encounter. Don’t get me wrong, if it’s true. Shame on him. I’ve seen these accusations come out of nowhere just to be at the same time it’s paid day
Shame the victim. Good call.
How do you know she’s a victim? We literally have zero evidence at this point.
Why make comments suggesting she is not a victim?
Ask Patrick Kane and the Duke lacrosse players
Because there are things in the initial story that don’t make logical sense. Seems very reasonable to question those.
+Casey
Why are you implying that its impossible for the the one reporting a crime to be lying. This happens all the time. Not saying she is lying but, nor am i saying that she is not lying, but it would be bad judgement to rule out the fact that these allegations could be false. Especially this early
When a dude jerks off on your back to you kick it with him for another year? For the record, I hope Brown dies in a fire, but I felt that way last week, before all this.
How many times have you tried aiming your jerk? It’s pretty damn hard to do, how does one even have it land on their back unwillingly?
Most of these comments make valid points. Saying red flag = shaming victims nowadays. Smh
She aint no victim. Shes a money grubber.
Yeah, Brown is a very upstanding guy and needs asshats like you blaming the accuser
All i can say is LOL.
Then there’s idiots who say he’s guilty because they don’t like him
I don’t like him, and he might be guilty, but the timing of it all raises suspicion.
I guess the chef is a money grab too? Or how about throwing the furniture off the balcony? Or driving 100+ miles per hour on city streets? Discussing with social media companies on how to manipulate his way out of Oakland?
Yep he’s a stand up guy. I’m not saying he’s guilty but based on his pattern of behavior you can’t say it’s far fetched.
i guess as men we will never understand what each experience feels like as a woman but there needs to be several different degrees of rape or assault. im all on board the antonio brown hate train but this scares me as a guy. rubbing one out on a womans back isnt my thing but its pretty obvious by the statement that these 2 were dating or had some sort of mutual friends with benefits arrangement. she was at his house on his couch watching a tv show. obviously not in a work environment whatsoever and a far cry from what most rape victims have to go through. does he really need her consent at that point if theyve already had sex and he isnt forcibly throwing himself on her? maybe i just dont understand
I don’t know about you, but if someone is behind me jerkin I’m gona know and get out the way of the “blast zone”
at some point i think there has to be a line where some things should be considered acceptable even if the the woman isnt reciprocal. if you get a woman over to your house in a non business matter and neither parties are in a relationship i dont think its fair to claim rape/assault if a man tries to kiss her, expose himself, take off his clothes or anything that involves him making some sort of move to initiate sex. i mean she was over at his frickin house for godsakes. its not like they were at the college practice facility studying for final exams or something. there has to be some understanding that she might be interested in him if she is willing to go to his house after he tried to kiss her the week prior
After a point, you keep going back, you ain’t a victim. Going back after he exposed himself and kissed her without permission? Pretty damn dumb. Going back after he jerks off on you (assumingly without permission) is insane if true. If she’s that dumb, I certainly hopes she never procreates. Who would have seen rape coming?!?
Can’t read the whole paragraph. Go back to school. Your 1 sentence in & you think you know it all.
Yeah, I can read plenty. First incident happened. Then, as the story puts it, the second happened “later that month(June) “. Then the supposed rape happened the following year in May. Clearly going back for more. Any reasonable person would have bailed after incident 1. For sure after incident 2. Yet clearly she went back again. Guess ya can’t fix stupid.
It is at least unusual that this is a civil suit rather than criminal charges.
I was thinking the same thing!
The second incident seems especially fishy. I find it hard to believe he could do that behind her back and she not know.
Also, what kind of chair was this for it to hit her back. Usually when a person sits there back is against the chair or couch back, right?
Also seems strange that there is no police report. This happens to me and I call the police, not an attorney to file a lawsuit.
You ever been sexually assaulted? Raped? Have you seen law enforcement’s record when dealing with rape? Rape cases are poorly prosecuted, kits go years without being tested, etc. I’m glad a keyboard warrior like yourself would go to the police but maybe a person who’s actually been through a traumatic experience wouldn’t.
Yea well the stats on murder cases are much the same. But I’m betting if my wife got murdered by AB and I filed a lawsuit before a police report you’d be questioning me too!
The stats on murder are not the same. Nor is murder and sexual assault even remotely close to the same crime, you buffoon. A murder victim can’t report the crime to the police. A rape/sexual assault victim can, and often fear that if they do so they will be, wait for it, murdered. You’re just a keyboard warrior with zero open-mindedness or comprehension about the crime. Go bang some rocks and sticks together you braying ape.
Lol
Yes murder cases have even worse close rates that reported rapes. Evidence is lost or mishandled. Test results are tainted. It happens.
I know they are not the same crime, but you were giving a reason why someone would go to an attorney before the police. I was simply trying to show how that doesn’t make sense.
If she didn’t go to the police out of fear for her life, is an attorney better equipped to protect her?
I get that this is an awful crime. I understand that many do not report it. I understand why it can take several years if ever, to be able to even talk about what happened.
I just don’t get why a person would build up the incredible courage to come forward about such a thing, and go directly to an attorney to file a lawsuit!
It would seem to me a person who survived such a horrific crime would want the criminal behind bars before a check from a lawsuit.
You have some F’ed up logic ace. I hope you don’t have daughters. Or sisters.
There are 2 people who know what happened in these incidents, speculation by anyone at this point seems reckless
So, you call Ben “Rapelisberger” but you twist every bit of logic into a pretzel you can to defend Big Chest?
Got it.
“Brown bragged about the incident in profane text messages that are copied in the lawsuit.”
You beat me to the punch on the text messages that were filed with the lawsuit. Apparently there is evidence.
Evidence that two people who had had consensual sex exchanged vulgar messages. That’s never happened in the history of ever
Yeah, let’s victim blame the woman’s mentality and then sort of tacitly take his side because it’s ‘pay day’. Pathetic, dude. How about just waiting for the facts to come out before jumping on her?
I’m sorry I’ve offended you, but if I see inconsistencies in her story I’m gona point them out.
It has nothing to do with “victim blaming,” I just don’t automatically blind myself to the fact that not everyone tells the truth in these situations.
What inconsistencies?
Well someone masterbating behind you all the way to completion, without your knowledge seems inconsistent to me!
Also, she’s his trainer and continued to go to his home after these incidents not only continued, but got worse.
That she filed a lawsuit before a police report.
You didn’t offend me at all. I just think you’re pathetic in that your immediate knee-jerk reaction is to trash the woman.
I didn’t trash her at all! My immediate reaction was to notice that things in what was reported in her story didn’t make sense.
If things come out that clear those up in a logical way, then I’ll find the story more credible.
I didn’t say anything in particular about her.
… and yours is to believe her
ps: I’m an ADA in NYC and sorta know wtf I’m talking about
Bro, did you forget about the #metoo movement? Every woman on earth is, at a minimum, raped 43 times a week, sexually assaulted 200 times a week, and sexually harassed 250,000 times a week. To ever question their accusations is blasphemy. Also, f’k Antonio Brown with a rusty butter knife.
Now did you ask that butter knife’s consent before you did that?
This discussion is way past RCT’s head
Pats are like buh bye
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
KARMA
What does karma have to do with rape?
Bend over. JRLandry will show you
Lol
LOL. I am patriots fan but I truly hate AB. This just sounds like the most bogus claim I’ve ever heard.
I mean in the email he clearly brags about busting on her back and how he laughs about it with someone else…
Ya true but from the little evidence we’re given, it could all be defended as consensual acts.
if it’s a bogus claim so be it. this pos Brown was bogus all off season. HAHA Brown rot.
I need a jump to conclusions mat.
PC Load Letter?
The guy was just hanging brain. What’s the big fuss?
Lol Creed from the office quote!
If that’s ______, lock me up.
If that’s flashing then lock me up – Creed Bratton
The real question is: Does he see the field this weekend?
He’ll play
Timing is everything. Wonder if she consulted a social media expert?
Real question… was a Raider’s beat writer sitting on this story? “This was coming for a while” to me suggests he was sitting on it. For what rea$on?
I would prefer to get the whole story but if it is a money grab why not go out there when he got the 30M from the raiders months ago would have been a less of a hit and probably would have paid to keep it under wraps.
You beat me to the punch on this one. Was scrolling down to post basically,the same thing.
As an attorney and after reviewing the filing naturally no conclusion can be made but her behavior should not be questioned. This is not uncommon at all.
As an PI that works cases with defense attorneys and after reviewing the complaint, I see lots of red flags. I would be shocked if this case goes to trial.
It never ends
Maybe he should go confess to a Catholic priest!
He would need forgiveness from a higher authority than that…God or Belichick (although Patriot fans seem to think they are the same).
Atleast Belichick exsists
I’ll believe evidence whichever side that is.
I’m so tired of him and his antics…
Having consensual sex with a person does not make everything they want to do forever consensual.
Bingo.
What disturbs me about his victim is WHY did she have anything to do with him the SECOND time? And WHY didn’t she report him to the police the first time? I’m guessing getting money rather then justice is more satisfaction?
Because THE police often do a TERRIBLE JOB prospecting rape, especially IN high PROFILE situations. Further, the PUBLIC is full of Neanderthals like yourself who, without knowing any FACTS, will blame and question the victim’s BEHAVIOR. Finally, WHY do YOU capitalize RANDOM words?
Because there was a second incident, duh!
pasha2k: Based on your various comments throughout this saga, it appears you do not understand the sequence of events.
Look I wont say he’s guilty and I won’t say he’s innocent but you only answered half the question. If she was scared and scarred by the issue I just don’t understand why she would go to his house 10 days later. That’s the only thing that doesn’t make sense to me. Granted look at the site we are on and the fact most of this story on this site is about brown denying these claims of course this story takes Browns side on this site. To get all of the information we need to go to different sites and to wait for more information like these texts and emails to get released But I’m sure tmz is already on the case
The other issue is you’re really not doing any better by blaming this man without having the facts! I’m not even blaming or accusing the victim I’m questioning the behavior because it doesn’t make sense to me that if you get raped you consensually go back to his house 10 days later. Granted I know someone who says that got raped and I believe her but she went back to the dudes house literally the next day so I think sometimes that these things can happen. Bottom line is there is a justice system for a reason! No one not the victim and not the accuser should be blamed if anything until due process has come. It’s ridiculous how many times the accused get chastised by the public and media before due process has even concluded
I think how AB did everything short of getting canned from the NFL to get out of contractual obligations is business-wise probably the most egregious thing I’ve ever read regarding football trades…
…would this rape charge have come out if it didn’t happen?
The timing for this, true or not, is impeccable.
The dudes’ head is clearly damaged so none of this falls outside the realm of possibility to me. Regardless of the outcome AB needs life help.
This guy is an absolute joke how many times has he been on the news this year alone.
Ben Rothlisberger raped at least one woman too. It must be a Steelers thing.
I figured if he raped someone it would be a dude so I am as surprised as anyone by these allegations
And his true character gets called forth.
yup and Brown is free free freeeeee.
HAHA pos!
Roethlisberger got 4 games for an accusation it’s only fair Brown gets the same.
The piece I read on this said she is suing for 75k. If it is a money grab that is a comparatively small one.
Why would she keep hanging around after being assaulted? Sounds fake
I like how a lot on here are saying the police do a ‘terrible job’ on investigating rape cases….How do you guys specifically know that exactly? Anyone here actually investigating rape cases themselves, or responsible for monitoring those officers who do?!…Just curious. Most likely just regurgitating the 5% of information the media feeds you to allow you to make you concrete judgments.
It’s also the fact that there’s not much to
Investigate when this stuff gets reported late I’m not saying it’s fair but that’s the reality of those types of cases
***gets off soap box…
I have witnessed someone’s case basically be ignored by police so I can say that at least in that instance they did a poor job
What do you have to do to be cut by the patriots? I guess the only answer is murder someone.
Kraft is probably like; “hey, Antonio, lemme give you the name of my lawyer…he specializes in getting me off…”
His lawyer or his masseuse? Depends on what context you are using “getting me off” in
nope, it was…
“Really? Right on her back? …for free???”
AB and Kraft will now be able to “ relieve each other’s tensions” chanting “ we’re still here”. Maybe Brady has a special room at his house for the both of them. Thou having both in house at the same time could be “ deflating”.
He should’ve went to the Bengals
Patriots press release: “We will have no further comment while [the NFL’s] investigation takes place.” It’ll be a pretty emphatic comment by this organization, though, when AB is in a Pats uniform and competing for them on Sundays before this investigation is wrapped up. Actions speak volumes and often louder than words. “No further comment,” lol.
AB thank you for being you. it seems you are good for at least a laugh a day. have you taken too many hits to the head or are you that stupid??? made for an interesting start to the season
Some of you need to read the suit to get the timeline straight. I can also answer the question why she went to a lawyer before the police. If the guy who claimed to be a lawyer is one he should have explained this. She would go to get advice and help from the lawyer. She would go to see what her rights were if she waited too long for charges to be filed etc. It is not that uncommon.
There are some of you that are seriously messed up about women. I would hope you truly don’t feel that way. I don’t want to call anyone out because another post when I did got deleted. Not sure why they leave absolute stupidity on the board then delete contents that call the people out for that stupidity. Better stop I might offend one of the idiots on the forum. They should have turned chat off for this story. Used to do it before.
Well, rape has no statute of limitations…. so there would still be criminal chargers. Weird that no police report was filed….. just a civil suit for money…. hmmmmm
That is so not true….most states are 2 years or less. Wtf you talking about?
Are you sure there aren’t charges filed? Just because the writer doesn’t talk about them doesn’t mean there isn’t. I have no idea if there are our not. Would be silly to file the suit and not charges. She would get so much more if he was found guilty. The lawyer would know more than any of us.
The only crime I know of with no limitations is murder. There could be more but that is the only one.
Too often athletes are targets of extortion though threats of lawsuits over alleged abuse or sexual misconduct. This behavior should be considered extortion if the accusations prove to be unsubstantiated.
I just looked it up Washington State just raised their statue of limitations from 10-20 years. So anyone sexually attacked has 20 years. They also changed the child sexual abuse law. They have until they are 30 too file a police report.
so glad the Raiders TOOK OUT THE TRASH.
Interesting how she filed a lawsuit for money but didn’t go to the police. Seems to be money motivated shakedown.
NFL Fans:
AB complains about helmet: Dude is a POS, I hope he’s out of the league soon!
AB accused of rape: woah woah woah, don’t rush to judgement we don’t know all the facts.
Typical money grab.
The Big Chest sychopants (and even that word isn’t strong enough, these people verbally toss Brown’s salad) attempted to defend his awful, selfish, childish and brain damaged behavior in part by attacking Ben Roethlisberger as “Rapistberger” or some variation.
It’s now quite clear that it’s not the rape that bothers them.
Carry on, Brown Tongues.
Does he make it through today as a Patriot is the question…..
I have a feeling the next update will be:
ANTONIO BROWN EXPOSED AS GRASSY KNOLL SHOOTER!
This guy just keeps it classy!
Here’s what I saw from reading the complaint:
This is for the most part, a he said/she said, with two big exceptions:
1) The text messages, if they are in fact genuine, basically show AB admitting to the first assault. Finding out how real those are will be key to verifying at least one charge.
2) In her suit, she claims that after another assault (#2), she ran into the apartment and immediately confided to AB’s chef what happened. Getting that chef to testify will be key to verifying charge #2.
Charge #3 (the most serious and violent one in my opinion), seems like it will be tough to prove/disprove in any way. But if the first two are proven to be true, AB is not only a scumbag, he’s likely headed to jail.
Is it safe to say that we can blame Vontaze Burfict for all of this? I mean, AB’s gone absolutely bonkers since that hit. He wasn’t creating a storyline a day until after Burfict crushed him. If you can’t blame or shame the victim, isn’t it fair to blame the one who started this whole thing?