NBC News reported today that prosecutors charged former NFL star Darren Sharper, age 38, with seven felonies on Friday and they’re said to be connected possibly with two separate incidents in Los Angeles where it’s being alleged that he raped and drugged women he had met and became friendly with at nightclubs; and they’ve also revealed Sharper is being investigated for similar alleged assaults in at least three other states.
In my opinion this is a sad day for those young folks who have looked up to Sharper as a role model and they’ll never forget this mark against him if proven true. After all he’s played 14 seasons in the NFL with three different teams and is now a commentator for the NFL Network. This is totally baffling to my mind and my heart goes out to his family because I’m sure they’re in total disbelief and shock.
Sharper is now charged with two counts of rape by use of drugs, four counts of furnishing a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance, all felonies. Morphine and the sleep medication zolpidem were allegedly the drugs that were used in these incidents.
Sharper was supposed to be arraigned on Friday, but at the hearing in a Los Angeles courtroom the arraignment was delayed until February 20, 2014.
A Deputy District Attorney Stacy Okun-Wiese who had previously released Sharper, a resident of Miami, Florida, on a $200,000 bail after he was arrested on January 17, 2014, is now saying, “She will ask a judge to increase his bail to $10 million, because he’s also being investigated in Arizona, Nevada and Louisiana for similar alleged crimes.”
“Our detectives are working with at least four law enforcement agencies throughout the country,” said LAPD Robbery Homicide Captain Billy Hayes, “We’re investigating sexual allegations against Sharper.” There’s a declaration attached to the prosecution’s bail motion, an LAPD detective stated, “I believe the defendant is involved in seven acts of rape and 11 acts of providing a controlled substance.”
October 30, 2013, Sharper met two women in a West Hollywood nightclub called Bootsy Bellows and invited them to go to a party with him.
Sharper allegedly took the women on a detour to his Los Angeles hotel room instead of going directly to the party as stated, and upon his arrival at his hotel, he invited them to his room and according to Prosecutors he allegedly gave them each a shot of what was supposed to be alcohol and both of the women passed out.
The first woman, identified as Jane Doe #1, woke up hours later to find Sharper was sexually assaulting her according to prosecutors; and the second woman woke up to interrupt this assault , according to the motion to increase Sharper’s bail. The two women left the hotel.
According to prosecutors on January 14, 2014 Sharper met yet another two separate women at the same West Hollywood nightclub and he made the same promise of a party to them in order to commit another assault.
Once they woke up later on January 15, 2014 in Sharper’s hotel room, one of the women indicated she believed that she had been sexually assaulted and both of the women departed the hotel, seeking medical treatment, according to prosecutors.
It’s hard to believe that in the declaration attached to the bail motion, LAPD Det. John Macchiarella described additional alleged incidents in Tempe, Arizona, New Orleans and Las Vegas, indicating he had reviewed police reports from all three cities. The incidents that were described took place in September and November 2013 and January 2014 which involved the defendant allegedly meeting a woman or women at bars and providing them with beverages. In these cases, the women stated to the authorities that they had blacked out.
The investigator’s statement in the Tempe case indicated the alleged victims had been able to provide police a cup that Sharper allegedly served them their drink in. “Subsequent crime lab testing revealed the presence of zolpidem in the cup,” the investigator’s statement indicated.
Sharper might face more than 30 years in the state prison if he is convicted in the California charges. A lawyer for Sharper did not make any comment to a request for a response. The judge ordered Sharper at the hearing on Friday to stay away from Bootsy Bellows nightclub. He has also been suspended from his job at the NFL network since his arrest.
Sharper was a safety playing for college football at William & Mary; and he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1997 and played for the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints’ that won the Super Bowl in 2010 and went to the Pro Bowl five times.
In my opinion this type news hurts deeply to those people and young fans who’ve looked up to and respected him so much and it’s hard to understand why…why?
Writer of this article is Barbara Kasey Smith and it is based on an NBC News report.
Source:
NBC News