Prosecutors Reveal Why Rape Charges Dropped Against Ex Bills Punter Matt Araiza
Last December, former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza had his name cleared in a rape case by prosecutors in San Diego. Now, details are emerging as to why Araiza didn't face criminal charges.
Originally accused of being part of a gang rape of an allegedly intoxicated 17-year-old girl in October 2021, a meeting between Araiza's attorneys, the accuser and a district attorney in San Diego led to the charges being dropped. Documents of that meeting reveal that Araiza could not have led the girl into the reported gang rape because he had left the house party an hour prior to when the attack reportedly occurred.
"He wasn’t even at the party anymore,” deputy district attorney Trisha Amador explained to the girl and her attorneys. "All I know is that at that point, suspect Araiza is gone from the party.”
During the meeting, prosecutors also said they couldn't determine if the alleged rape was instead merely consensual sex between the accuser and multiple men.
“In looking at the videos on the sex tape, I absolutely cannot prove any forceable sexual assault based upon what happened,” Amador said.
Araiza, from San Diego State, was selected in the sixth round by the Bills in the 2022 draft. He won the punting job in training camp and preseason, but was released in late August two days after the civil suit was filed against him.
Said Bills general manager Brandon Beane at the time, "This is bigger than football. Let's just step back and (let Araiza) go handle this. That's what we thought was most important."
Despite being known as the "Punt God" in college, his lofty draft position and winning the job with Buffalo, the incident has prevented Araiza from ever kicking a ball in the NFL. He remains a free agent.
Araiza still faces a civil suit from the accuser, with a hearing in that case set for July 14.
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