She was really good with computers, her friend Ryder Hankins said. Johnathan Thurstonremained quiet for 14 years. -. "Bulldogs club chaplain Ken Glendenning has counselled a number of players. the allegation by a Coffs Harbour woman that she was gang raped by a number of Bulldogs players. She told Pinzon that she hoped this never happens to anyone else. It could take up to 5 business days before your first paper delivery arrives. I was not involved with her on the Wednesday night and I did not see what happened in the pool area on the Sunday morning. I wasnt a part of that. He couldn't tell whether it was a car or an SUV; its features had melted into anonymity. cost) for the first 12 months, charged as $24 every 4 weeks. Komazec has come to the area late at night for more than half a year now, when a memorial was across the street, when someone wrote in chalk, "DEPORT THE RAIDERS.". Email or phone: Password: Forgot account? HENRY RUGGS III went home one day after the crash. According to Thurston's account, after spotting the woman at the Plantation Hotel, he and a couple of teammates hopped in a taxi at 5am ahead of the team's 7am recovery session the next day, when the woman allegedly wanted to meet up with members of the Bulldogs squad again. The North Queensland Cowboys legend became the first member of the 2004 Bulldogs squad to open up about the incident, doing so in his new book,Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography. "She didn't take s--- from anyone. Komazec had seen enough wrecks in the 24/7 freneticism of Las Vegas that he hadn't stopped to wonder whether he knew the person in that charred vehicle in the middle of the road. When he found out his friend was dead, Ruggs said he "lost himself." Monday to Friday 7:30am 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am 11:30am (AEST), App or digital edition only customer? She was born premature, and endured bombings in the former Yugoslavia. He wants all the attention to be on Tintor. Walker has pleaded not guilty and his partner has retracted initial statements made to police. Biden FINALLY announces COVID vaccine requirement for travelers to US will be Have scientists finally created a jab to keep ALL flu strains at bay? March 3: Bulldogs CEO Steve Mortimer tells the media, 'If only a fraction of what is alleged to have happened to various women is true, it very much appals me. 'It probably impacted the players' families more,' he said. The state Supreme Court ruled that "investigative writings or recordings are privileged communications protected from disclosure."). When Ruggs was at the hospital, he became enraged, police said. I will be something great.". "Everything I am, everything I have, I honor his memory. No cancellations during the first 12 months. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, club legends Hazem El Masri and Andrew Ryan revealed how damaging the allegations were for everyone at the club. The story of the Cowboys scout and prospect son Dallas just drafted, Legacy pick: Cardinals take great-great-nephew of team's first-ever draft pick, Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman denied the request. "The Bulldogs are meeting with Adam Elliott to discuss his attendance at the home where this incident occurred. Thurston is now married to Samantha Lynch, and the pair have three girls, 18-month-old Lillie, three-year-old Charlie and five-year-old Frankie. ', Hazem El Masri (pictured with his family) was engulfed in the 2004 Coffs Harbour sex scandal and went on that year to break the NRL's point scoring record with 139 goals and 16 tries. They named him Max. Thanks to her new 16m Harry Potter TV deal, it's JK Rowling who's having the last laugh over Scientists discover what happens seconds before you die - activity in the brain and heart RAMPS UP, Trendy hard floors could be to blame for your foot pain (and there is a simple way to stop it). March 3: Bulldogs players arrive for police interviews dressed casually only captain Steve Price, Braith Anasta and Hazem El Masri were 'dressed appropriately'. Bulldogs team bosses have issued an unspecified number of players with breach notices detailing the results of a club investigation into their behaviour at Coffs Harbour earlier this year. Bulldogs team bosses have issued an unspecified number of players with breach notices detailing the results of a club investigation into their behaviour at Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales mid . "Consensual group sex, a girl sleeping with more than one NRL player at the same time, was not unusual. Out in Dallas, Cowboys safety Damontae Kazee had been arrested on suspicion of DWI during his team's bye two weeks earlier, and that was front of mind for the Las Vegas staff. "You don't even know how you feel anymore. It was said to be an initiation rite for new first-graders.Others tried to break into the hotel room of another television worker at 3am after a drinking session.Last year, at the same Coffs Harbour hotel, a 42-year-old woman went with one player to his room and had sex, then woke to find another had initiated sex with her and a third was lining up.Club and police investigations were conducted but no charges laid, the Bulldogs fining the three players involved for breach of the club code.On February 22, Bulldogs players danced on nightclub tables, groped women on the dance floor and sparked a brawl as a result. He scours the internet and finds stories of celebrities and privileged people who've committed crimes and done little or no time in Las Vegas. Still, a handful of strangers felt compelled to attend. Leone went to his backyard, where he could see the street. Allow up to 5 days for home delivery to commence. After retiring from the NFL, Stallworth became an advocate for ending impaired driving. She said she was vaginally, orally and anally raped by six Bulldogs players in the pool area of the Pacific Bay Resort. "I was just thinking he was somebody who feels sorry and he's going to change something," Komazec said. March 18: Garry Hughes is sacked as Bulldogs football manager for failing to enforce the club's code of conduct. They want to know where Ruggs and his girlfriend, Kiara Je'nai Kilgo-Washington, had been before the crash -- what they were doing, who they were with, where they were going and why he made the choices he did. Ryan's recollections of the Coffs Harbour saga show how badly accused players can struggle if they're not allowed to take the field, and how easily their families are hurt by off-field scandals. Like all clubs, it has a duty of care.These are guys in their early 20s who earn in the region of $100,000 a year for playing football. Johnathan Thurston playing for the Bulldogs in 2004. He said he has a video call scheduled with at least one state senator next month. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/johnathan-thurston-says-players-gagged-over-rape-allegation/10403466, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, This man advises his clients that elections, rates and mortgages are invalid, Recreational vaping to be banned, all e-cigarettes to be strictly controlled, Qantas names new boss ahead of Alan Joyce's retirement, RBA tipped for rates hold, Treasurer refuses to confirm reported JobSeeker lift for people over 55, but says targeted support in the budget, Selling the furniture and couch surfing: Families forced to make 'impossible' decisions amid fears inflation crisis hitting kids, US updates Russian death toll in Ukraine, Twitter glitch logs users out. Tina's mother cried. In an interview with ESPN, he said he saw someone still in the driver's seat of a Corvette and remembered music blaring. (Police did not conduct a field sobriety test at the site of the crash.) He was released from the hospital, released from custody on a $150,000 bond and released by the Las Vegas Raiders. She didn't let anyone talk down to her, especially at Target. Tintor's family wanted the services to be private, with no cameras, so a throng of news media stood in the corner of a parking lot at St. Simeon Serbian Orthodox Church, the site of the funeral. He says Tintor's mom ordered a giant photo of her daughter shortly after her death, and when the family hung it on the wall, their Siberian husky cried and barked for days. His brother Glen, who played for the Dogs in 2004, was also involved. Now hes broken his silence about the 2004 Coffs Harbour rape scandal that nearly derailed his career, before it had even begun. Now, Thurston has spoken about the scandal for the first time in an interview with 60 Minutes. She would make the most mundane things fun -- Tintor enjoyed sifting through the chaos of the dollar aisle -- and hang out with co-workers in the parking lot for hours after the store closed. The dog didn't eat for four or five days straight, Komazec said, because it realized that Tintor wasn't coming home. Ruggs is likely to have a long journey ahead, including potential prison time, before he could have any chance of returning to the NFL but others before have made a comeback. Pic Sam Mooy. I never got called in, they never heard my side of the story.'. Johnathan Thurston says Canterbury Bulldogs players could not defend themselves amid gang-rape allegations, Follow our live blog for the latest from the Met Gala, Catch up with The Loop, your quick wrap of this morning's news, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. My wife was pregnant at the time, and some of the questions she was asked about it, it was a very stressful time. The lead detective on the Coffs Harbour case responded to Pearce on June 16, saying: 'I agree totally with Glen Pearce. Im not even sure I think a woman could have completely consensual sex with 6 rugby players. "So why was I sick and why at that time? In an extensive interview with ESPN's College GameDay in 2019, Ruggs said he wouldn't be playing football if it weren't for Scott. Blood tests showed Brents alcohol level at .18, more than twice Texas legal limit of .08. Ryan and El Masri are not alone in speaking out about how the Coffs Harbour scandal has left its mark on them. The Raiders released a statement earlier Tuesday saying the team was devastated by the loss of life. cost) every 4 weeks unless cancelled as per full Terms and Conditions. When Breton announced the decision not to press charges, he even told the media there was evidence a rape had occurred - comments then NSW Premier Bob Carr publicly rebuked him for. Home Delivery is not available in all areas and is not the Regional edition. Leone said another man -- later determined to be a security guard at a nearby condo complex -- helped the driver to the side of the road. 0407 228 124 brad.greenshields@afl.com.au. He returned to the Cowboys in 2014, appearing in one game before retiring from the NFL in 2015. They were slammed for being disrespectful and the images became synonymous with the case, Bulldog Hazem El Masri (pictured with wife Arwa). no judgment on guilt or innocence was being made against the players who had been stood down. February 2, 2023. Stallworth returned to the NFL in 2010 and played in eight games for the Baltimore Ravens that season. He's going to do something. 'We could get on the training paddock and park it away, but the families, they're the ones getting questions, they're getting bombarded, so you feel for them. On April 27 the police announced no charges would be laid due to lack of evidence, but the mud continued to stick to the players, even when Pearce went public about how poorly the investigation was handled. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Prior to his move to the Cowboys, Thurston had made his NRL debut in Canterbury colours halfway through the 2002 season, before helping the Bulldogs to the 2004 title. If only a fraction of what is alleged to have happened is true it very much appals me".It's not about to get easier for him.The police investigation and the court case that seems sure to follow will drag the club name down for months.To make matters worse, on Tuesday the club appears in the Licensing Court to answer charges that it failed to keep proper accounts as required under the Registered Clubs Act, an action related to the laundering of money paid to players over and above the salary cap.The NRL has instituted its own inquiry. The accused players were never named, leaving the whole team under a cloud, especially the high-profile Mason. But after that I read in the news, 'Hey I'm going to give him all the support he needs.' The fire in the RAV4 pops so loudly that it apparently sets off a car alarm. ', 'A lot of decent people, family people, lost their jobs,' Hazen El Masri (pictured with his wife Arwa) recalls of the events of 2004. To everyone involved in community football in 2021 - thank you! Authorities say Ruggs' blood alcohol content, measured two hours after the crash, was 0.161 -- more than twice the legal limit in Nevada. Britt Ramsey. Club chairman George Peponis says the move 'is not specifically' about Coffs Harbour. Best Players. 'I remember being in an airport with the team and everyone was looked at differently - a look of, "Hang on a sec, is that one of them, could that be one of the guilty guys?". "Think of Kenzli.". A valid active email address and Australian mobile phone number are required for account set up. Calling me a rapist just makes me want to snap and kill the bloke. But it was important to be here.". The Manly Sea Eagles employ a minder who goes out with players, ensuring they don't get into trouble and arranging transport home when they've had enough.The Warriors are among those who impose curfews, breath-test players after their allowed night out and provide managerial supervision.Premiers the Penrith Panthers set a good example. Not in conjunction with any other offer. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Prosecutors said Hobbs' blood alcohol level was 0.01%, under the Nevada legal limit. He stops at the mural every night on his way home from work just to make sure the flowers, candles and memorials are intact. The club says their player is not of interest to police," Channel Nine reporter Danny Weidler tweeted. ', St George lock Jack de Belin leaves Wollongong Local Court after appearing on a sexual assault charge. Chesnoff wouldn't comment on a motion the defense made, and a judge granted, in late April requesting permission for Ruggs to go to California for one month -- May 2 to June 2 -- for medical treatment. News College Commitments Bulldogs News Media Release. Milla Keegan, Laila McLaughlin, Zoe Tarlinton, Annalise Crawley . Thread starter nqboy; Start date May 26, 2004; Prev. The look of love! "Everything was in slow motion," Adams said. How to Watch Warriors vs. Lakers Game 1 Second-Round Playoff Series, Warriors Confront LeBron James, Lakers in Real Battle of California, 25-Year-Old Makes $200/Hour Without a Bachelor's Degree: I Work Less Than 6 Hours a Day', San Jose Police Arrest 3 Suspects in Robberies Targeting AAPI Community, Malik Monk's Old Comments Motivated Warriors to Game 7 Win Vs. Kings, French Bulldog Stolen From Car in Oakland. He is the fourth active NFL player over the last 25 years to be involved in a drunk-driving incident resulting in death. He was getting ready for a game when he heard the news of the crash in Las Vegas. "I've been involved in the justice system for over 40 years as both a defense lawyer and a young prosecutor," Clark County district attorney Steve Wolfson told ESPN. 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Sullivan set up a meeting in June between the family and Clark County assistant district attorney Eric Bauman, and Sullivan called the meeting productive. 'There was no independent evidence to support what she was saying but there wasoverwhelming evidence to support the Bulldogs from a variety of sources.'. Ruggs' agent, Jovan Barnes, who has made numerous trips to Las Vegas since Nov. 2 to be with Ruggs, said that he would like to talk about the Henry Ruggs he knows but that he can't comment. Anna Wintour arrives arm-in-arm with rumored beau Bill Nighy at 2023 Met Gala. It's almost 4 a.m., around the time Tintor died on Nov. 2. Despite maintaining his innocence, NRL has controversially stood down de Belin from playing while he waits the outcome of aggravated sexual assault charges after a night out in Wollongong in December. Not in conjunction with any other offer. Thurston admitted that the incident threatened to end his career before it began (AAP). 32 lingering post-draft questions: Will Lions have regrets? The next time he woke up, Adams was lying in the middle of the road. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2014. Recently retired NRL great Johnathan Thurston has broken his 14-year silence on the Canterbury Bulldogs Coffs Harbour scandal which threatened to derail his career. She had had consecutive consensual sex with eight players on the Wednesday before, the meeting heard.Whatever was said, it obviously emboldened some, who clearly showed they thought no charges would be brought.Afterwards, coach Steve Folkes spoke about the allegation for the first time. The NRL's early plans to conquer America won't involve the competition's four Queensland-based teams. Is it a measure of his arrogance and the club's tolerance of it that the headings Born, Height, Weight, Test Matches, Personal Notes all carry the word "unknown" beside them?It certainly seems odd that in these troubled times the Coach's Comments section carries only the words "no current items".STORY SO FAR* February 22: Woman complains she was pack-raped by Bulldogs players* She names six players she said assaulted her* Police and NRL announce investigation* Police question 20 Bulldogs players and ask for DNA samples* One player, Hazem El Masri, refuses to supply DNA. "You're under pressure when you're on camera," she laughed. Wide-eyed interns arrive in May and leave 10 weeks later Citizens for Life. "It was very serious allegations. He estimated 10 people were walking closer to the crash, and he remembered an officer telling one of the men to back up, and the man replied, "Oh, we are his friends, we know them.". 1; 2; First Prev 2 of 2 Go to page. Andrew Ryan and Hazem El Masri have spoken out about their personal experiences as the code struggles to deal with serious accusations against current stars Jack de Belin and Dylan Walker. To his right, a burned husk of metal rested in the middle of the road. RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: What do we want? He was never charged because his blood alcohol level was below the legal limit. On the curb sat a crumpled Corvette that belonged to Las Vegas Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III. She graduated from Durango High School in 2016, and worked at the Target on Grand Canyon Drive. Johnathan Thurston has decried an inability to defend himself and his teammates under team orders during the 2004 gang rape scandal that rocked the Canterbury Bulldogs. Thurston, who was not involved with the accuser, shed light on the situation which . Get it all on Foxtel. It felt like the public thought we were all guilty even though a charge had not been laid.. One Las Vegas DUI defense lawyer not involved in the case said such delays are not unusual, given the volume of DUI cases in the city and the kind of legal maneuvering expected over evidence and medical records. By midday news had broken of the accusation made against between three and six players in the early hours of the morning. He went on John Laws' radio show to defend his players, conceding only that some had shown an error of judgment, but that was all.An unidentified player interviewed by the Sydney Sunday Telegraph described the woman as hysterical after being rejected by the boys when she offered group sex. Malcolm Noad is announced as the new Bulldogs CEO. There were photos of that charred vehicle, a RAV4, and news that the driver of that car had died. Two former Canterbury Bulldogs stars have opened up on the infamous gang rape scandal that engulfed the club in 2004 and the devastating toll it took on them and their families. The Clark County coroner ruled in December that Tintor and her dog burned to death in the crash. She later told police that they were drinking mai tais and that she drank two but didn't know how many, if any, Ruggs had. Why subscribe to become a Full Digital Access or Paper Delivery + Full Digital Access Member? Every game of every round of the NRL LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. April 1: Police give a brief of evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Go. Speaking about [the scandal] is quite difficult knowing that my daughters will probably see this when theyre older and having to sit down and explain to them what is my side of this story is going to be tough, he explained. She was spotted sitting outside the hotel crying at 6.45am when the Bulldogs got up for a pool recovery session. Former detective Glen Pearce says investigating police didn't think the allegations stacked up enough to take the matter to court. Tintor's mom recently adopted another golden retriever, he said. Cars whiz by the intersection. The TMZ video reveals Ruggs' reaction to a disaster in real time: He sits on the road and cries as Kilgo-Washington faces him, holding his head in her arms. She had plans. Moment commuter blasts eco-zealots, Women's rights activists and pro-trans campaigners separated, Historic chairs to be reused by the King for the coronation service, Saboteurs wreck Russian train cut power cables 37mi from Ukraine, Braverman: People crossing Channel are 'at odds with British values', Cambridge students party in the park during annual celebrations, Unseen footage of Meghan Markle during her teenage years, Moment large saltwater crocodile snatches pet dog off beach in QLD, Hundreds of Household Division members rehearse for coronation.
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