Source: Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images / Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Patriots New Star Antoino Brown Accused Of Raping Former Trainer
The news cycle of Antonio Brown calmed for all of three days–but things are picking up right where they left off. After receiving several fines, losing $30 million showing his azz to get off the Raiders roaster with a recorded phone call, and ending up a Patriot, you’d think he would be out of headlines for a while. But that is most definitely not the case.
According to reports from TMZ, AB is now the focus of a rape lawsuit. A trainer by the name of Britney Taylor is accusing the wide receiver of raping & sexually assaulting her not once, not twice, but on three different occasions over the last several years.
The story obtained in court documents states that the first encounter happened in June 2017 at his Pittsburgh home, not too long after being hired by him as a personal trainer. On that occasion, court documents state “Brown exposed himself and kissed [her] without her consent”. Later, at his Florida residence, “Brown, while positioned behind her, began masturbating near her without her knowledge and ejaculated on her back”.
Following those two incidents, she also claims he bragged about it to her, which is when she chose to stop working for him. Months later, Taylor claims he reached out to make amends and have her return to training him. While she was skeptical, she eventually resumed training sessions against her better judgement.
Almost a year later, on May 20th 2018, court documents reveal “Brown cornered [her] forced her down onto a bed, pushed her face into the mattress, and forcibly raped her”. Taylor expressed she tried to fight back but he over powered her as she screamed and cried and yelled both “no” and “stop”. As for the emotions she felt after the ordeal, “she had near-daily panic attacks, frequent suicidal ideations, and insomnia. She has also lost a remarkable amount of weight — 30 pounds in one month — due to stress.”
As the story broke, Taylor has issued her own statement via her lawyer:
“As a rape victim of Antonio Brown, deciding to speak out has been an incredibly difficult decision…I have found strength in my faith, my family, and from the accounts of other survivors of sexual assault. Speaking out removes the shame that I have felt for the past year and places it on the person responsible for my rape…I will cooperate with the NFL and any other agencies; however, at this time, I respectfully request that the media please respect my privacy.”
In her lawsuit, Taylor is seeking compensation for physical injuries, pain and suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, stress and anxiety, loss of self-esteem and self-confidence, and emotional pain and suffering.
The two met when they were both students and members of the ‘Fellowship of Christian Athletes group’ at the University of Central Michigan.
As for AB’s response, he denies the sexual assault and rape allegations, but not the situations themselves, claiming that all of their encounters were consensual. In his statement, he walked the lines of victim blaming and mentions being approached by Taylor after he became one of the ‘highest paid’ wide receivers in the league. He also points out her asking him to invest in a business venture, all pretty weird things to mention in a rape lawsuit response.
You can read AB’s full statement via his lawyer here.