The parents of San Diego State and Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza have maintained their son’s innocence after he was accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl, and now it looks like Araiza’s attorney Kerry Armstrong is claiming his client’s innocence, with some shocking claims at his accuser.
In comments to CBS News, Armstrong claimed that Araiza had “nothing to do” with her rape and that the only reason why he would be included in the lawsuit is “because of money.”
“I would be very surprised if they ever charged Matt Araiza with anything in this case,” Armstrong told CBS News. “If she really was raped in that back bedroom, that’s horrible. It’s a horrible thing to happen to anybody. But all I know is that Mr. Araiza had nothing to do with it, and the only thing I can think of as to why she’s included him in this civil lawsuit is because of money.”
When Araiza’s accuser was told of this claim, CBS reports that she felt “sick to the stomach” and denied the allegations – or even knowing who Araiza was at the time.
“I reported it the day after it happened,” she told CBS. “I was 17 years old and I had no idea who Matt Araiza was.”
Following the shocking allegations, Araiza has been released from the Bills after it became clear that the NFL was powerless to suspend the punter under the current collective bargaining agreement.
[CBS News]
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