SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former Buffalo Payments punter Matt Araiza is not going to be charged in reference to an alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old lady at an off-campus occasion final 12 months when he performed soccer for San Diego State College, prosecutors stated Wednesday.
The San Diego County District Lawyer’s Workplace stated no prices will likely be filed in opposition to any of Araiza’s former Aztec teammates who have been additionally accused within the reported assault in October 2021.
“I’m grateful that the district lawyer and the San Diego Police Division have found all of the info and located no legal wrongdoing. I’m excited to proceed my NFL profession,” Araiza stated in a statement issued by his agent, Joe Linta.
The choice adopted an investigation involving greater than 35 witness interviews and proof derived from 10 search warrants that included cellphone knowledge and video from the night time in query, the DA’s workplace stated in a press release.
“Finally, prosecutors decided it’s clear the proof doesn’t assist the submitting of legal prices and there’s no path to a possible legal conviction. Prosecutors can solely file prices after they ethically imagine they are often confirmed past an inexpensive doubt,” the assertion stated.
Araiza’s lawyer, Kerry Armstrong, stated he and his consumer have been “elated” by what he referred to as the best choice.
“It’s my hope that Matt can be part of an NFL workforce once more and do the factor that he does finest—punt footballs eighty yards down the sector,” Armstrong stated.
The accuser’s lawyer Dan Gilleon tweeted, “I’m by no means stunned when a prosecutor doesn’t file sexual assault prices when the sufferer was intoxicated.”
“It’s a really uncommon case the place the legal justice system achieves something passable for the sufferer of a sexual assault,” Gilleon continued. “Prosecutors can not file prices until they will get a unanimous choice (from jurors) who can not vote to convict until they’re satisfied past any affordable doubt.”
Nonetheless, Gilleon stated he anticipated a greater verdict in his consumer’s civil lawsuit, the place “the main target is on the hurt defendants brought about her.”
“The defendants could have no sympathizers as soon as the proof comes out,” he wrote.
The Buffalo Payments declined to remark.
The Payments launched the rookie punter in August simply days after backing Araiza primarily based on the findings of what the workforce referred to as its “thorough examination” of the allegations included within the lawsuit.
The accuser, now 18, alleged within the swimsuit that Araiza, then 21, had intercourse along with her in a facet yard at an off-campus residence earlier than bringing her right into a bed room the place a bunch of males took turns raping her. She stated she went out and in of consciousness as the boys assaulted her for about 90 minutes.
She advised her buddies that night time that she’d been raped and reported the assault to police the next day, based on the courtroom submitting.
The lawsuit named Araiza together with 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 stated they deferred investigating on the request of police for concern that conducting their very own would possibly hurt the legal investigation.
Araiza was nicknamed the “Punt God” and honored as a consensus All-American for his booming kicks that helped SDSU to a school-best 12-2 season in his senior 12 months. In April, he was chosen by the Buffalo Payments within the sixth spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft.