SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former Buffalo Expenses punter Matt Araiza is probably not charged in reference to an alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old woman at an off-campus birthday celebration remaining yr when he performed soccer for San Diego State College, prosecutors mentioned Wednesday.
The San Diego County District Lawyer’s Administrative center mentioned no fees will probably be filed in opposition to any of Araiza’s former Aztec teammates who have been additionally accused within the reported attack in October 2021.
“I’m thankful that the district lawyer and the San Diego Police Division have came upon all of the details and located no legal wrongdoing. I’m excited to proceed my NFL profession,” Araiza mentioned in a observation issued by means of his agent, Joe Linta.
The verdict adopted an investigation involving greater than 35 witness interviews and proof derived from 10 seek warrants that integrated cellular phone information and video from the evening in query, the DA’s place of work mentioned in a observation.
“In the end, prosecutors made up our minds it’s transparent the proof does now not strengthen the submitting of legal fees and there is not any trail to a possible legal conviction. Prosecutors can simplest document fees once they ethically imagine they are able to be confirmed past a cheap doubt,” the observation mentioned.
Araiza’s attorney, Kerry Armstrong, mentioned he and his consumer have been “elated” by means of what he known as the best choice.
“It’s my hope that Matt can sign up for an NFL workforce once more and do the article that he does ideally suited—punt footballs 80 yards down the sphere,” Armstrong mentioned.
The accuser’s lawyer Dan Gilleon tweeted, “I’m by no means stunned when a prosecutor does now not document sexual attack fees when the sufferer was once intoxicated.”
“It’s an excessively uncommon case the place the legal justice device achieves anything else enough for the sufferer of a sexual attack,” Gilleon persisted. “Prosecutors can’t document fees until they are able to get a unanimous choice (from jurors) who can’t vote to convict until they’re satisfied past any affordable doubt.”
Alternatively, Gilleon mentioned he anticipated a greater verdict in his consumer’s civil lawsuit, the place “the point of interest is at the hurt defendants brought about her.”
“The defendants will don’t have any sympathizers as soon as the proof comes out,” he wrote.
The Buffalo Expenses declined to remark.
The Expenses launched the rookie punter in August simply days after backing Araiza according to the findings of what the workforce known as its “thorough exam” of the allegations integrated within the lawsuit.
The accuser, now 18, alleged within the go well with that Araiza, then 21, had intercourse along with her in an aspect backyard at an off-campus place of abode earlier than bringing her right into a bed room the place a gaggle of fellows took turns raping her. She mentioned she went out and in of awareness as the lads assaulted her for roughly 90 mins.
She instructed her buddies that evening that she’d been raped and reported the attack to police the next day, in line with the court docket submitting.
The lawsuit named Araiza along side two former Aztec teammates who’re now not with the workforce.
The college has been closely criticized for delaying an administrative inquiry into the allegations. San Diego State officers have mentioned they deferred investigating on the request of police for concern that engaging in their very own may hurt the legal investigation.
Araiza was once nicknamed the “Punt God” and commemorated as a consensus All-American for his booming kicks that helped SDSU to a school-best 12-2 season in his senior yr. In April, he was once decided on by means of the Buffalo Expenses within the 6th spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft.
