Antonio Brown Denies Accusation That He Raped His Former Trainer
WARNING: Details in this story are graphic and may be difficult for some to read.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As Antonio Brown took to the Patriots' practice field for the first time, his agent Drew Rosenhaus took to the airwaves of ESPN.
"The allegations are false," the sports agent said Wednesday. "He denies every one of them."
Those allegations come in a federal lawsuit filed by fitness trainer Britney Taylor.
Taylor and Brown met in college and in 2017, and Brown hired her to help him train in the offseason. Their training sessions and the allegations of assault came while Brown was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Taylor alleges, in the lawsuit filed late Tuesday, that there were three incidents. The first was in June of 2017 at his home in Allegheny County, where Taylor says Brown exposed himself and kissed her without consent.
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said Wednesday the lawsuit is on the prosecutor's radar.
"When something is filed and alleges a crime occurred, we take a look at it," Zappala said.
The suit says the second incident happened a few weeks later in Miami and claims Brown, "...began masturbating near her without her knowledge and ejaculated on her back."
Taylor claims the rape happened on May 20, 2018, at Brown's home in Miami. She says he pulled her into his bedroom and pushed her down on the bed face first.
The suit says, "...Brown was too strong and physically overpowered her. She screamed and cried throughout the entire rape, repeatedly shouting "no" and "stop." Brown refused and penetrated her."
The Executive Director of Pittsburgh Action Against Rape says there is nothing unusual about Taylor waiting 16 months to come forward with the allegations.
"It is a victimization where people don't immediately report for a variety of reasons, mostly the victims' fears they will not be believed," said Alison Hall of Pittsburgh Action Against Rape
Taylor never went to the police with the accusation, but Hall explains why that is more common than you think.
"Victims are always reticent," Hall said. "'Will someone believe me? Why would they believe me?' I think as a society, we have to ask why we are always focused on what the victim did."
In a letter on Twitter, Brown's attorney says the sex was consensual and Taylor's motivation was "to financially benefit from his celebrity."
The Patriots are not commenting while the NFL investigates, though head coach Bill Belichick did say this today.
"We've looked into the allegations," Belichick told reporters. "We're taking it very seriously all the way through the organization."
No action has been taken so far by the Patriots of the league that would prevent Brown from playing Sunday in Miami.
The Steelers issued a statement, saying:
The Steelers organization did not have any knowledge of the alleged incidents involving Antonio Brown prior to yesterday. If requested, the Steelers organization will cooperate in any related investigation.