Former Patriot Willie McGinest arrested in Los Angeles

Rovin Romine

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Based on your legal experience, is there any way Willie avoids jail time with this pretty cut and dry video out there?
Sure. We can see the fight clearly, but don't know what led up to it, or what the outcome was. So, much depends on who the victim is (vis a vis Willie) and if there was any prior provocation.

For example, take the following two scenarios:

1) Willie is a crazy-jealous man who aggressively stalked an ex-boyfriend of a lady-interest of his. He pre-gathered a gang to beat the man, found him, did so, and left shouting death-threats in a crowded restaurant. Victim lost a tooth, had his nose broken, and is afraid for his life.

2) Willie recently learned this man was a convicted sex-offender/drug-dealer who was sleeping with his mentally handicapped 18 year old daughter. He called the police and did everything "right" then randomly saw the man when he and a bunch of his friends were at the club/restaurant. Willie goes to confront him to tell him to back off, and his friends go along independently. When confronted, the man said something unbelievably crass and Willie lost his shit. He continued to taunt and provoke Willie during the fight.

I doubt it's either, but it indicates the range of possibility here. As a prosecutor or defense attorney you want something closer to one of those and not the other.

***

If it's more of a garden variety beef, much depends on what the victim wants and Willie's attorney. The best point for Willie is that he didn't have a weapon when initially confronting the man. And perhaps the victim will be satisfied with a cash payment and an apology, and only want anger classes, etc. Especially if there's a mitigating factor in the victim's own (provoking) behavior or for Willie that evening.

All that said, if this anywhere near in the middle of the spectrum, the prosecutor should have jail time on the table to begin with. A 5 on 1 public beating is no joke - and Willie clearly sought the guy out (with all-male hefty backup) and swung first. And the victim could just as easily be completely outraged. Which isn't dispositive, but is a factor in many prosecutions.
 
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Shaky Walton

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Nov 20, 2019
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I have no inside knowledge. Willie might be a general douche bag. It would not surprise me.

But that's not because I am a pessimist about human nature or the nature of professional athletes.

It's because we really know very freaking little about the guys we celebrate and love, as players. Dave Meggett was a "character guy" whose addition to the Pats was seen as bringing some good veteran leadership along with his running/receiving skills. And then we found out that he raped people.

My all times faves are, at the moment, Kevin Garnett, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Gronk, Julian Edelman, Bobby Orr, Larry Bird, Troy Brown, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Kevin McHale, Pedro Martinez, Dennis Johnson, Ty Law, Dustin Perdroia and Robert Parrish. Tom Brady, too, but I'm having problems with the whole "talking to the Fins while playing for the Pats" thing. That will probably fade. But, very sadly, it's likely that one or more of these guys did or does shit behind closed doors that would make me feel differently about their place on that list.

The one thing I do know is that even if Willie beats the rap or ends up with a minimal sentence, his career as a TV talking head is over. I hope for his sake that he saved some dollars.
 

cornwalls@6

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Apr 23, 2010
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from the wilds of western ma
Sure. We can see the fight clearly, but don't know what led up to it, or what the outcome was. So, much depends on who the victim is (vis a vis Willie) and if there was any prior provocation.

For example, take the following two scenarios:

1) Willie is a crazy-jealous man who aggressively stalked an ex-boyfriend of a lady-interest of his. He pre-gathered a gang to beat the man, found him, did so, and left shouting death-threats in a crowded restaurant. Victim lost a tooth, had his nose broken, and is afraid for his life.

2) Willie recently learned this man was a convicted sex-offender/drug-dealer who was sleeping with his mentally handicapped 18 year old daughter. He called the police and did everything "right" then randomly saw the man when he and a bunch of his friends were at the club/restaurant. Willie goes to confront him to tell him to back off, and his friends go along independently. When confronted, the man said something unbelievably crass and Willie lost his shit. He continued to taunt and provoke Willie during the fight.

I doubt it's either, but it indicates the range of possibility here. As a prosecutor or defense attorney you want something closer to one of those and not the other.

***

If it's more of a garden variety beef, much depends on what the victim wants and Willie's attorney. The best point for Willie is that he didn't have a weapon when initially confronting the man. And perhaps the victim will be satisfied with a cash payment and an apology, and only want anger classes, etc. Especially if there's a mitigating factor in the victim's own (provoking) behavior or for Willie that evening.

All that said, if this anywhere near in the middle of the spectrum, the prosecutor should have jail time on the table to begin with. A 5 on 1 public beating is no joke - and Willie clearly sought the guy out (with all-male hefty backup) and swung first. And the victim could just as easily be completely outraged. Which isn't dispositive, but is a factor in many prosecutions.
It was ,at minimum, monumentally stupid for him to do this, but your post hits on something I’ve been thinking about this. At least morally/in terms of legacy. That the back story of the confrontation will have some bearing on those things, particularly if it was something like scenario number 2. And thanks for laying out the ways in which that could also be a mitigating factor legally. If it’s just garden variety, jealous over a woman they’re both involved with, or some BS cred/saving face over some slight, real or perceived, he’s probably cooked. And deserves to be.
 

lexrageorge

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Jul 31, 2007
18,099
I have no inside knowledge. Willie might be a general douche bag. It would not surprise me.

But that's not because I am a pessimist about human nature or the nature of professional athletes.

It's because we really know very freaking little about the guys we celebrate and love, as players. Dave Meggett was a "character guy" whose addition to the Pats was seen as bringing some good veteran leadership along with his running/receiving skills. And then we found out that he raped people.

My all times faves are, at the moment, Kevin Garnett, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Gronk, Julian Edelman, Bobby Orr, Larry Bird, Troy Brown, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Kevin McHale, Pedro Martinez, Dennis Johnson, Ty Law, Dustin Perdroia and Robert Parrish. Tom Brady, too, but I'm having problems with the whole "talking to the Fins while playing for the Pats" thing. That will probably fade. But, very sadly, it's likely that one or more of these guys did or does shit behind closed doors that would make me feel differently about their place on that list.

The one thing I do know is that even if Willie beats the rap or ends up with a minimal sentence, his career as a TV talking head is over. I hope for his sake that he saved some dollars.
Robert Parish was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife, which culminated in an actual battery in 1987. But some of her account has been credibly disputed and so we will probably never really know whether it was a one time incident or a pattern of violent behavior. Agree in many times we never really know what these people are like in real life.

McGinest is going to have a hard time explaining this incident away; agree his TV career is essentially toast for at least a couple of years.
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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The one thing I do know is that even if Willie beats the rap or ends up with a minimal sentence, his career as a TV talking head is over.
It's the power of video. Ray Lewis had a TV career post-whatever the fuck he did.
 

Rovin Romine

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It was ,at minimum, monumentally stupid for him to do this, but your post hits on something I’ve been thinking about this. At least morally/in terms of legacy. That the back story of the confrontation will have some bearing on those things, particularly if it was something like scenario number 2. And thanks for laying out the ways in which that could also be a mitigating factor legally. If it’s just garden variety, jealous over a woman they’re both involved with, or some BS cred/saving face over some slight, real or perceived, he’s probably cooked. And deserves to be.
Well, the moral issues are often defacto legal concerns as well. A weak or muddied or complicated case gets a better plea offer.

While there's a lot of unknowns here, my initial guess would be this falls more in the premeditated garden-variety type of battery. It's just a guess though.
 

Jimbodandy

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It's the power of video. Ray Lewis had a TV career post-whatever the fuck he did.
The Ray Rice story is a perfect example of this. Slap on the wrist to out of football, once the video came out.

Our society is generally fine about looking the other way until we can't.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
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Apr 12, 2005
41,948
I'm Willie's age. I cannot even fathom something going on in my life that would lead me to that kind of situation. I don't understand that world.
Short of someone bringing harm to my wife, daughter, son, I'm with you. This is a world I don't understand.
 

mauidano

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The world adored this guy too... Reminder; never judge a book by its cover.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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It was ,at minimum, monumentally stupid for him to do this, but your post hits on something I’ve been thinking about this. At least morally/in terms of legacy. That the back story of the confrontation will have some bearing on those things, particularly if it was something like scenario number 2. And thanks for laying out the ways in which that could also be a mitigating factor legally. If it’s just garden variety, jealous over a woman they’re both involved with, or some BS cred/saving face over some slight, real or perceived, he’s probably cooked. And deserves to be.
I always find myself rooting for it to be something significant that at least makes it make some level of sense, because it's hard to accept that people just do this. But it's usually pretty mundane. On the spectrum of likelihood, I'd put "the victim had beaten a woman close to Wille" pretty far below, "the guy tried to sell Willie a fake Rolex."
 

luckiestman

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Jul 15, 2005
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Looks like Willie was always a scumbag, I didn’t know about this story:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-29-sp-2407-story.html


Moments later, however, she said McGinest grabbed her and threw her into a room occupied by other students who were wrestling. She said she then was dragged across the hall into Jones’ room, where she was shoved onto a bed with Jones. Then, she said the door was locked and the lights were turned out as Oliver and Jones restrained her.

“I told them to stop, but they were holding me really tight,” she testified. “Willie said, ‘Don’t struggle, you’ll make it worse for yourself.’ ”

The woman said she felt hands touching her breasts and vaginal area. She said she bit Oliver three times in the back just before a male counselor entered the room.”
 

Shelterdog

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Looks like Willie was always a scumbag, I didn’t know about this story:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-29-sp-2407-story.html


Moments later, however, she said McGinest grabbed her and threw her into a room occupied by other students who were wrestling. She said she then was dragged across the hall into Jones’ room, where she was shoved onto a bed with Jones. Then, she said the door was locked and the lights were turned out as Oliver and Jones restrained her.

“I told them to stop, but they were holding me really tight,” she testified. “Willie said, ‘Don’t struggle, you’ll make it worse for yourself.’ ”

The woman said she felt hands touching her breasts and vaginal area. She said she bit Oliver three times in the back just before a male counselor entered the room.”
I can’t find it but there’s a story about some offensive lineman who cut line at training table in training camp (Scott rehberg? Ryan o Callaghan) and Willie just punched him in the face. Guy got a shiner and missed practice because of an alleged bee sting. The story is told for laughs but seriously who does that?
 

Andy Merchant

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I also seem to recall Ted Johnson telling a story on 98.5 where they were playing cards and a lineman accused Willie of cheating. That guy got punched in the face and I believe he showed up at the facility the next day with a messed up face.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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I also seem to recall Ted Johnson telling a story on 98.5 where they were playing cards and a lineman accused Willie of cheating. That guy got punched in the face and I believe he showed up at the facility the next day with a messed up face.
Have also heard a story where a rookie cut line during a 5 minute water break during doubles and he knocked him out because "rookies wait".

Liked the story more before I saw this video.
 

riboflav

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Just watched the footage. Wow. What an embarrassing episode. Pants falling down, victim still standing, you get lost. Nice.
 

jose melendez

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Looks like Willie was always a scumbag, I didn’t know about this story:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-29-sp-2407-story.html


Moments later, however, she said McGinest grabbed her and threw her into a room occupied by other students who were wrestling. She said she then was dragged across the hall into Jones’ room, where she was shoved onto a bed with Jones. Then, she said the door was locked and the lights were turned out as Oliver and Jones restrained her.

“I told them to stop, but they were holding me really tight,” she testified. “Willie said, ‘Don’t struggle, you’ll make it worse for yourself.’ ”

The woman said she felt hands touching her breasts and vaginal area. She said she bit Oliver three times in the back just before a male counselor entered the room.”
How have I never heard this story? Was it just not reported in Boston?
 

DJnVa

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Did we ever get story of why they went after that guy?
 

sezwho

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Did we ever get story of why they went after that guy?
I don’t think so, which is surprising all things considered.

The Apology references avoiding violence “no matter how intense the provocation”, and that plus not apologizing to the smashee is a sorry-not-sorry…
 

Hendu for Kutch

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I think it's entirely possible to be genuinely sorry that he did it and let people down while simultaneously having zero sympathy for the person who was screwing with him.

That's what the statement sounds like to me, anyways.
 

Gdiguy

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I mean, when your own press release refers to you as ‘NFL Great’ it’s not really projecting ‘humble and apologetic’ to me
 

Rovin Romine

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2022

Which for those keeping score at home is 14 days after I gathered a gang to publicly beat a man, and 4 days after I realized I had been caught on tape and had to turn myself in. Then I had a ton of Christmas shopping. But immediately after that, I immediately drafted this, and IMMEDIATELY RELEASED it.​

Statement Released by
NFL Great and Sports Analyst Willie McGinest

Today, former New England Patriots Linebacker and NFL Network analyst Willie McGinest
released the following statement stemming from a December 9, 2022, incident that Ied to his
voluntary summdering to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Monday, December

19, 2022.

As noted above, it has been a busy time for everyone.​

"First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior
on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood.


It was indeed, a faux pas. And who hasn't been there? One judiciously purses one's lips, considering whether one ought order the extra truffle fries for the table, even though Kevin has told you about his cholesterol problem, and then, almost before you know it - the lapse occurs, and you've gathered a gang of thugs to publicly beat a man in a West Hollywood restaurant with whatever implements you can lay hands on, terrifying other diners, and generally behaving like a cretin. The "judgement" as they say, has been "lapsed."​

To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility.

To be clear, I plan on securing the most minimal punishment I can weasel into, minimizing the entire incident in pursuit of my career, and generally not acknowledging the fact that I repeatedly clubbed a restaurant-goer in the head with a bottle. But as a role model to youth, Jarvis has convinced me it is in my best interest to make this sort of statement. And I agreed to it because, as Jarvis pointed out, it's a bit vague in terms of just where I am taking that responsibility, and what I'm going to do with it when I get there.​
To my colleagues at the NFL Network and those I work closely with as an advisor to professional
and community-based organizations, please know I am embarrassed and regret what occurred.

As evidenced by my immediate surrender, and my taking of full responsibility someplace.​

Most of all, I am disappointed in myself, as I know this is an isolated incident and is not reflective
of my faith, role as a father, life's body of work, or the role model I've worked hard to become.


I mean, one might think that my faith and character is reflective of gathering a gang together to publicly beat a man as he and others were casually dining. Because that's what I did. So it's important I let you know that really, my faith does not reflect that sort of thing. Nor my well-acted role as a father. Nor my life's slightly swollen and dazed body of work of psyching myself up to lay hands on other human beings. Nor the role model I have so carefully leveraged my millions into appearing to be, because at heart I'm really a. . .ahem, because everyone really needs to work hard at becoming a model with a well-acted role, given how easy it is to gather a posse and smash someone's face open because they provoked me. You know what I'm saying. Faith, father, role model. Lapse.​
It is personally devastating that decodes of community service, youth engagement, mentoring, and
professional development would become an afterthought in a single moment that should have

never happened.

Although I am hoping that more voluntary community service might feature in my near future. (Please note, I've done that shit before and can find my own way there. Hint. Hint. Are you getting this?)​

This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection - mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence
is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation.


I know that next time I will make sure there are no cameras, because there's just no way I'm willing to let the man I clubbed in the head with a bottle win. Because man, he had it coming. And it really did seem that violence was the answer to that particular situation. Because I was really provoked. Hence the plan to gather my peeps, find the guy, and. . .the lapsing. . .the lapse. It was just not a good judgment day. Who runs cameras watching people eat? Doesn't that just seem crazy?​

Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again."

I know there are so many of you out there faced with sleepless nights, because I, NFL Great and Sports Analyst Willie McGinest, am that fucking important. But, do not trouble yourselves - I'm past that shit disrespecting me, and he has learned his lesson too. And the public, who thinks about me a lot, should definitely trust me. As evidenced by my:​
-Immediate surrender and statementing.​
-Full takings of responsibilities.​
-Personal feeling of devastation that I was caught.​
-Willingness to not blame the victim all that much, even though he had it coming.​
I hope to be working again soon, and in the meantime, you are welcome to reach out to someone who is not me, because the lapse is over, and the responsibility has been taken, and I am taking steps.​

Media Contact:

Jarvis Stewart

Ass Cover Communications
Iamsoslick@theywillneverfigureitout.com
T: 202.669.3544
 
Last edited:

mauf

Anderson Cooper × Mr. Rogers
Moderator
SoSH Member
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2022

Which for those keeping score at home is 14 days after I gathered a gang to publicly beat a man, and 4 days after I realized I had been caught on tape and had to turn myself in. Then I had a ton of Christmas shopping. But immediately after that, I immediately drafted this, and IMMEDIATELY RELEASED it.​

Statement Released by
NFL Great and Sports Analyst Willie McGinest

Today, former New England Patriots Linebacker and NFL Network analyst Willie McGinest
released the following statement stemming from a December 9, 2022, incident that Ied to his
voluntary summdering to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Monday, December

19, 2022.

As noted above, it has been a busy time for everyone.​

"First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior
on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood.


It was indeed, a faux pas. And who hasn't been there? One judiciously purses one's lips, considering whether one ought order the extra truffle fries for the table, even though Kevin has told you about his cholesterol problem, and then, almost before you know it - the lapse occurs, and you've gathered a gang of thugs to publicly beat a man in a West Hollywood restaurant with whatever implements you can lay hands on, terrifying other diners, and generally behaving like a cretin. The "judgement" as they say, has been "lapsed."​

To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility.

To be clear, I plan on securing the most minimal punishment I can weasel into, minimizing the entire incident in pursuit of my career, and generally not acknowledging the fact that I repeatedly clubbed a restaurant-goer in the head with a bottle. But as a role model to youth, Jarvis has convinced me it is in my best interest to make this sort of statement. And I agreed to it because, as Jarvis pointed out, it's a bit vague in terms of just where I am taking that responsibility, and what I'm going to do with it when I get there.​
To my colleagues at the NFL Network and those I work closely with as an advisor to professional
and community-based organizations, please know I am embarrassed and regret what occurred.

As evidenced by my immediate surrender, and my taking of full responsibility someplace.​

Most of all, I am disappointed in myself, as I know this is an isolated incident and is not reflective
of my faith, role as a father, life's body of work, or the role model I've worked hard to become.


I mean, one might think that my faith and character is reflective of gathering a gang together to publicly beat a man as he and others were casually dining. Because that's what I did. So it's important I let you know that really, my faith does not reflect that sort of thing. Nor my well-acted role as a father. Nor my life's slightly swollen and dazed body of work of psyching myself up to lay hands on other human beings. Nor the role model I have so carefully leveraged my millions into appearing to be, because at heart I'm really a. . .ahem, because everyone really needs to work hard at becoming a model with a well-acted role, given how easy it is to gather a posse and smash someone's face open because they provoked me. You know what I'm saying. Faith, father, role model. Lapse.​
It is personally devastating that decodes of community service, youth engagement, mentoring, and
professional development would become an afterthought in a single moment that should have

never happened.

Although I am hoping that more voluntary community service might feature in my near future. (Please note, I've done that shit before and can find my own way there. Hint. Hint. Are you getting this?)​

This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection - mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence
is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation.


I know that next time I will make sure there are no cameras, because there's just no way I'm willing to let the man I clubbed in the head with a bottle win. Because man, he had it coming. And it really did seem that violence was the answer to that particular situation. Because I was really provoked. Hence the plan to gather my peeps, find the guy, and. . .the lapsing. . .the lapse. It was just not a good judgment day. Who runs cameras watching people eat? Doesn't that just seem crazy?​

Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again."

I know there are so many of you out there faced with sleepless nights, because I, NFL Great and Sports Analyst Willie McGinest, am that fucking important. But, do not trouble yourselves - I'm past that shit disrespecting me, and he has learned his lesson too. And the public, who thinks about me a lot, should definitely trust me. As evidenced by my:​
-Immediate surrender and statementing.​
-Full takings of responsibilities.​
-Personal feeling of devastation that I was caught.​
-Willingness to not blame the victim all that much, even though he had it coming.​
I hope to be working again soon, and in the meantime, you are welcome to reach out to someone who is not me, because the lapse is over, and the responsibility has been taken, and I am taking steps.​

Media Contact:

Jarvis Stewart

Ass Cover Communications
Iamsoslick@theywillneverfigureitout.com
T: 202.669.3544

This is excellent.

The problem here is WMG is trying to straddle the issue. He’s concerned about legal jeopardy, and he likely believes there is important context missing from what the public knows, but he feels pressure to address the video, which even viewed in the most charitable light to WMG shows inexcusable behavior.

If saying nothing wasn’t an option, he should’ve at least said less. Something like:

There is more to the story, which will come out in due time, but I’m embarrassed by my behavior captured on that video. I wish I made different choices. I would like to apologize to [insert obligatory list of family/friends/colleagues/fans whatever].

This isn’t the moment to be burnishing your credentials as a Christian or a humanitarian. Insofar as you can do so without worsening your legal position, admit that you screwed up and apologize. Say there’s more to the story. And then shut up.

Or better yet, say nothing at all.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,094
I know that violence is never the answer...no matter how intense the provocation.

Yup, he had it coming. Nice one, Willie. What a terrible press release. Don't release anything at all if this is the garbage you're going with.
 

Justthetippett

New Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,392
I know that violence is never the answer...no matter how intense the provocation.

Yup, he had it coming. Nice one, Willie. What a terrible press release. Don't release anything at all if this is the garbage you're going with.
Isn't this likely to be intentional as he starts to build his defense? The video obviously sucks for him, so his lawyers are trying to make it less so.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,094
Isn't this likely to be intentional as he starts to build his defense? The video obviously sucks for him, so his lawyers are trying to make it less so.
They don’t really have an option but to try given how bad the video is for Willie. But the evidence is pretty cut and dry here and looks terribly for him.