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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 16, 2010

Roethlisberger's accuser said 'no'


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said QB Ben Roethlisberger will be disciplined by the team.

KEITH SRAKOCIC | Associated Press

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MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — The young woman who accused Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault said she tried to get away from the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and told him "no, this is not OK," according to police documents released yesterday.

In a statement to police the day after the encounter, the 20-year-old college student said Roethlisberger told her, and her friends, to take numerous shots of alcohol. Then one of his bodyguards escorted her into a hallway at the Capital City nightclub, sat her on a stool and left. She said Roethlisberger walked down the hallway and exposed himself.

"I told him it wasn't OK, no, we don't need to do this and I proceeded to get up and try to leave," she said. "I went to the first door I saw, which happened to be a bathroom."

According to her statement, Roethlisberger then followed her into the bathroom and shut the door.

"I still said no, this is not OK, and he then had sex with me," she wrote. "He said it was OK. He then left without saying anything."

Two of the woman's friends said they saw the bodyguard lead her into the hallway and then saw Roethlisberger follow. They said they couldn't see their friend but knew she was drunk and were worried about her.

Later, the friends said they saw Roethlisberger leave the hallway. When the woman came back, the friends said they asked her what happened and urged her to alert police.

Earlier this week, prosecutors said no charges would be filed against Roethlisberger, who has denied the accusations through his attorney.

Meanwhile in Pittsburgh yesterday, Steelers president Art Rooney II says the team is ready to discipline Roethlisberger but the punishment will be coordinated with the NFL and won't pre-empt any league action.

Rooney said yesterday that Roethlisberger told him he is prepared to accept disciplinary action. The Steelers likely would have acted by now, but Rooney said the NFL's labor agreement makes that difficult.

"When we get to the point where we have agreed with the commissioner on what that action will be, that's when it will be imposed," Rooney said during his first news conference concerning the Roethlisberger case.

ELSEWHERE

Cowboys: Dallas safety Patrick Watkins signed his restricted free-agent contract yesterday, bringing back one of the club's top special teams players. Any team that wanted Watkins only would've had to give up a fifth-round pick, but he didn't find any takers. So he came back for nearly $1.2 million, his original-round tender price.

Raiders: Oakland yesterday signed free agent quarterback Kyle Boller, one day after Bruce Gradkowski tore a pectoral muscle while lifting weights. Gradkowski will undergo surgery for the injury today but is expected to be fully healed by the start of training camp in July, his agent Ralph Cindrich confirmed.

Seahawks: Seattle's six-time All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones has not participated in new coach Pete Carroll's first voluntary minicamp this week and could be considering retirement. General manager John Schneider said yesterday he is preparing for next week's draft under the assumption the 36-year-old Jones "will not be here" this coming season.

Titans: Tennessee running back LenDale White has signed his one-year tender worth $1.8 million with the Titans. The Titans had tendered him high enough that a team wanting to sign White would have had to give up a second-round draft pick.