The timing of this story is fishy. In saying that, obviously there is no excuse for a man to put his hands on a woman.
WCSH6 (Florida)
As the New England Patriots get ready for this weekend’s AFC Championship game against the San Diego Chargers, Randy Moss is defending himself against allegations from a woman in Florida.
According to radio station WDBO, a woman accuses Moss of causing serious injury and then refusing to allow her to seek medical attention. She was granted a temporary injunction for protection against dating violence.
In Foxborough today, Moss denied the allegation. He says the woman is trying to get money from him.
WDBO says a hearing will be held January 28th, when the court will determine whether to file a permanent judgment of injunction for protection against dating violence.
No criminal charges have been filed in the case
Moss responded extensively at Gillette Stadium today. His comments:
“First of all, you all probably heard about these allegations. All I want to say is that they are false allegations,” Moss told a large gathering of reporters.
“It’s something I’ve been battling for the last couple days, threats of going public if I didn’t pay X amount of dollars. Before people rush quick to judgment, I think you need to find out the facts about really what is really going on. This young lady, by no means, is hurt. I didn’t hurt her.
“I think that, what I heard, I really don’t know the whole story, of what is being said. All I know is supposedly I — battery — whatever it may be, that I physically hurt a woman. Well, I want to make something clear. In my whole entire life of living, 30 years, I have never put my hand on one woman, physically or in an angry manner. This battery they’re talking about, I guess from a legal standpoint, there has to be something said. Like I said, I don’t really know all the facts. I don’t know what’s going on as far as everything that has been alleged.
“All I know is that it’s a friend of mine, a young lady, it was an accident where she hurt herself, to where they called me, called my attorneys, trying to get X amount of dollars out of me, and if ‘we don’t get X amount of dollars’ they were going to go to the press before this game.
“Basically what I’m saying, I’m actually going to hold off for questions. I just really wanted to get out there to the people that I am aware of what is going on. I don’t really want people to rush quick to judgment [without] knowing the facts. My teammates don’t have anything to do with this. They don’t know anything. I think it was just brought to their attention. If you could all just leave them out of it, because they don’t know anything that’s going on. I don’t really know the whole situation of what’s going on, just bits and pieces. It definitely was not my intentions of doing anything like this, with this battery with the woman. That’s really not my makeup, that’s not me, I’ve never been in that situation where I’ve had to put my hands on any woman, any lady.
“Like I said, man, before you rush quick to judgment, find out all the facts before you start criticizing me or judging me. That’s all I have to say. Thanks.”
After giving an initial statement today and saying he would not be answering questions from reporters, Moss changed his mind and ultimately took questions. Some of the Q&A:
On his thoughts regarding this issue:
“It’s unfair to athletes if a person makes a false claim. You know, there is nothing we can do. The only thing we can do is either pay up or sit back and listen to what’s been said or what’s being written. I can honestly say I am a … I don’t know what the word is to use … that’s what position I’m in. For someone to make a false claim about me, I’m kind of furious. It kind of hurts me deep inside for someone to do something like that, because I’ve always said time and time again that I am going to stand up for what’s right. If I’m right, I’m right. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. And that’s where you have your attorneys, your friends, so when you’re wrong someone can tell you you’re wrong. You know what I mean? My situation is where I felt that I did nothing wrong. It was an accident. Whatever happened, it was an accident. I wish I could sit here and yell you all what happened. But there is a lawsuit or whatever is been coming against me, I can’t really explain or tell you all what is going on. All I want to say is that I’m going to continue to play football. I think that last Friday, this man wanted to come out with it, to try to distract the team and distract me. You know what I’m saying? There was much more said, a lot of verbal, a lot of cuss words, a lot of things that I should be doing – ‘you better do this or else, you better do this or else’ – well, I thought it was bad because now you’re threatening me. So I brought it to Coach and said ‘Look Coach, I’m being threatened to do something that I have no idea of what I need to be doing.’ I was advised to just focus on playing football and then I’ll handle this once the season is over. Whenever the season is over, I plan on sitting down and really getting to the bottom of this. Right now, I have a job to do.”
One report indicated you hurt her hand …
“I’m not really getting into that. I just told you guys, I mean, I don’t want to get in trouble for anything I might say that I’m not supposed to say when it comes to an attorney and a client. There is a lot of things I want to sit here and tell you guys to prove my innocence. But for the fact there is an investigation going on …”
Is she making up this story?
“You do your homework. Like I told you, there are a lot of things I want to sit here and tell everyone sitting here flashing, with all these microphones. I’m not trying to be funny about the situation, because this is a serious matter. What I’m saying is that it’s unfair to us as athletes that when a situation like this occurs, it’s up to you guys to make an assumption. Is this guy or this girl telling the truth? Or are they lying?”
How much are you looking forward to, after the season, clearing your name?
“That’s the one thing I want to do, because throughout this whole season, everything has been positive. Why would I bring something negative on? Come on. What we’re trying to do, and hopefully what’s going to happen if we do things right in the next month, I would never – as much as I care and love the game of football and love my teammates and coach, I would never put myself or them in a situation of something like this.”
Does this make you want to change who you hang around with in the future?
“No, because I’ve known this young lady 11 years. So if this is supposed to be a friend of mine, change what? I’ve known you for 11 years. I know all you men and ladies here [in the media], if you’ve known someone for over 11, 15 years, you wouldn’t think in your wildest dreams that something like this would happen to you.”
Is she trying to get money out of you?
“Over an accident – six figures.”
Six figures?
“I’m going to end it at that. I’m going to end it, because I do not want to get in trouble.”
In general, though, how hard is it to sway public opinion when these things come up?
“It’s hard, because of everything I’ve been through, mostly the negatives, off the field. It’s really hard for me to sit up here and say that I’m innocent. Battery – I didn’t hit no woman. I’ve never laid my hands on a woman. So for you to say battery, now I think if there was such a thing in the court system as an accident, then that’s what I’m guilty for. But for you to say I physically, or in an angry manner – whatever the manner may be – put my hands on a woman physically, I’ve never done that.”
Are people going to believe you?
“I think the best thing is to check my resume, ask around. I’ve never hit a woman. I do not hit women. That’s not what I’m supposed to be doing. I have a job to do, that’s to provide for my family and help raise my children. That’s what I do.”
Are you disappointed in the timing of this?
“I’m very disappointed in the timing. I’m disappointed at the timing first, of myself, for being able to be in this situation. But knowing someone 11 years, it’s hard to avoid that because I wouldn’t expect someone like that to do me like that.”
She said she wanted medical attention and that you denied her medical attention.
“She lives in her own house and has her own vehicle, so how could I deny her medical attention. Does that make sense? She has her own house. She has her own car. So how am I going to deny someone medical attention when you live by yourself and have your own vehicle.”
What made you go to Bill and were you happy with the way he responded to it?
“No, I can’t never be happy because this is something negative, a black cloud hanging over my head. That’s something I did not want coming into the season, is anything negative. Everything I tried to do – from getting here early, and making sure I eat the right food, all the way to practicing and playing good, I wanted all that to be an A-plus.”
(more on why he went to Belichick)
“I just thought, look at all of this [assembled media]. The only reason I went to Coach was because I knew the magnitude of something like this, how it was going to take off. Like I said, if I’m guilty, I am truly sorry and I am going to stand up for what is right, I really am.”
What would you say to this lady, face to face, if you saw her today?
“Man, I don’t want to get into that. I’ve known this woman 11 years. Know what I mean? I don’t wish anything bad on this woman. That’s the love I have for her as a friend. Even though these allegations are false, or whatever she’s claiming, I mean I really can’t be mad at that, because if that’s what she’s doing, that’s what she’s doing. If she’s hurt and she needs money, that’s on her.”
Is it safe to say that the friendship is over?
“It has to be. Yes, the friendship is over. Like I said, I’m not mad, I’m not bitter, I am mad at this situation of extortion. Yes, I am mad about that. But for something friendly, an accident to occur, I mean it happens. Stuff does happen.”
What was the accident?
“I’m not going to get into that. That’s for you all. Listen, this is the last thing I’m going to say. One thing I’m going to say and I’m going to end it. You all are going to make judgments. You all are going to say what you all want to. Today, tomorrow, next week, you all are going to say whatever you all want. But make sure, and very sure before you rush to judgment, that you know what you’re talking about before you say it. That’s all I’m going to say. I appreciate it.”
The Globe’s Mike Reiss contributed to this report.
