Darren Sharper arrested on rape charges

What an awkward headline. How about "is Accused of Rape"?

 

I'm always a fan of the shorter hed, but we also don't know the specs that the copy editor had to fill. It's a little awkward, but it's not inaccurate.

 

Yeah, during my desk days I hated white space on the end of a two-deck hed. I'm sure they were just trying to square it up.

 

Update -- indicted in New Orleans, with a possibility that there is a new victim.

http://deadspin.com/darren-sharper-indicted-for-rape-in-new-orleans-possib-1670356291

YankeeFan is taken aback that everyone is reporting on this. Sharper is black, after all, which should mean a media free pass.

 

The lawyer for Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush said he denies allegations made in a Louisiana courtroom recently that he gave ecstasy to women while hanging out with accused rapist Darren Sharper in Las Vegas.

"This is outrageous," Bush's California-based attorney Shawn Holley told the Free Press. "I can say to you on the record that Reggie adamantly, vehemently and unequivocally denies all of the statements in that article. We are demanding a retraction from The Advocate and Reggie is considering taking legal action."

The Advocate, based in Louisiana, reported on its website today that one of Sharper's co-defendants, former St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputy Brandon Licciardi, told investigators that he saw Bush give ecstasy to women and put it in Champagne glasses at a Las Vegas nightclub.

Sharper, who played the 2009-10 seasons with the New Orleans Saints while Bush was with the team, is accused of being a serial rapist with charges pending or cases being investigated in five different states.

Bush has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Detroit Lions' Reggie Bush denies involvement in Darren Sharper case

 

Did I miss this?

20 years in a plea.

Darren Sharper takes 20-year plea deal in Louisiana rape case | ProFootballTalk

 

He pleaded to multiple rapes in multiple states, and concurrent sentences means he'll do less than a decade.

 

Was anything incorrect about what I said?

 

I literally just finished putting the story on the front page. Was just updating if anyone was interested in the key detail. But by all means, misconstrue away.

 

The unknown is what the Feds do with the sentencing on the Fed charges and what the judges say about sentencing.

What is clear is the deal is that all sentences are concurrent, meaning no stacking of sentences and the longest sentence trumps all. However, I think there are two other states to go and in each state the judges can reject the plea bargain. I read the average jail time for a rape is eleven years; yet even with a 20 yr sentence, he'll get less for admitted rapes in 4 states. Something really smells about that.

 

Awhile back, Peter King called this "one of the most stunning arrests of a NFL player ever"

I agree completely. I just shake my head every time I see this one. I'm guessing anyone who dealt with Sharper as a player was stunned by this one.

 

Bill Cosby's favorite player.