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 get together final yr when he performed soccer for San Diego State College, prosecutors stated Wednesday.
The San Diego County District Legal professional’s Workplace stated no prices can be filed towards 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 legal professional and the San Diego Police Division have found all of the details and located no felony wrongdoing. I'm excited to proceed my NFL profession,” Araiza stated in a assertion 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 information and video from the night time in query, the DA’s workplace stated in an announcement.
“Finally, prosecutors decided it's clear the proof doesn't help the submitting of felony prices and there's no path to a possible felony conviction. Prosecutors can solely file prices after they ethically consider they are often confirmed past an inexpensive doubt,” the assertion stated.
Araiza’s lawyer, Kerry Armstrong, stated he and his shopper have been “elated” by what he referred to as the suitable choice.
“It's my hope that Matt can be part of an NFL crew once more and do the factor that he does finest—punt footballs eighty yards down the sector,” Armstrong stated.
The accuser’s legal professional 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 felony justice system achieves something passable for the sufferer of a sexual assault,” Gilleon continued. “Prosecutors can't file prices until they will get a unanimous choice (from jurors) who can't vote to convict until they’re satisfied past any cheap doubt.”
Nevertheless, Gilleon stated he anticipated a greater verdict in his shopper’s civil lawsuit, the place “the main focus is on the hurt defendants prompted her.”
“The defendants may 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 based mostly on the findings of what the crew referred to as its “thorough examination” of the allegations included within the lawsuit.
The accuser, now 18, alleged within the go well with that Araiza, then 21, had intercourse along with her in a aspect 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 lads assaulted her for about 90 minutes.
She advised her mates that night time that she’d been raped and reported the assault to police the next day, in line with the courtroom submitting.
The lawsuit named Araiza together with two former Aztec teammates who're now not with the crew.
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 may hurt the felony 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 yr. In April, he was chosen by the Buffalo Payments within the sixth spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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