Thursday, February 27, 2014

NFL star Darren Sharper faces more rape charges

Former NFL star Darren Sharper faces more rape charges

February 27, 2014
Darren Sharper appears in a Los Angeles court on February 14 to face rape charges. He faces separate rape charges in New Orleans.
Darren Sharper appears in a Los Angeles court on February 14 to face rape charges. He faces separate rape charges in New Orleans.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Darren Sharper now faces rape charges in two states
  • The former NFL star faces two counts in New Orleans of aggravated rape
  • A second man, Erik Nunez, also faces the same charges in Louisiana
  • An attorney for Sharper previously has said his client engaged in "consensual contact"
 New Orleans police have issued arrest warrants for former NFL star Darren Sharper and another man in connection with the alleged rapes of two women.
Sharper, 38, and Erik Nunez, 26, each face two counts of aggravated rape, the Orleans Parish district attorney's office said in a statement.
Sharper and Nunez face the possibility of life without parole if convicted.
CNN reached out to an attorney for Sharper and to Nunez, but neither immediately returned messages seeking comment.
Sharper has also been charged in California with two counts of rape by use of drugs and other charges, according to Los Angeles County prosecutors.
He pleaded not guilty last week.
"Mr. Sharper must stay in Los Angeles County," a judge said at a bail hearing.
Judge Renee Korn set Sharper's bail at $1 million and ordered him to stay away from venues that sold alcohol as a primary item.
Prosecutors in Louisiana said the two alleged rapes occurred on September 23 in a New Orleans apartment.
The alleged rapes in California occurred in October and last month, authorities said.
Prosecutors there said the five-time Pro Bowl player, who became an NFL Network analyst, is also under investigation in Arizona and Nevada.
Tempe, Arizona, police say they expect to file charges against Sharper soon.
"We have nothing yet. We anticipate filing charges very shortly and we are still waiting on a couple of results from the crime lab," said Sgt. Mike Pooley.
In addition, a Florida woman last month filed a sexual battery complaint in Miami Beach against Sharper relating to a 2012 incident, a police report said.
According to the report, the woman was with two friends at a Miami Beach club in September or October 2012 when she met Sharper. The woman, her friends and another person went to Sharper's condo, where the woman claims the battery took place.
Miami Beach police are investigating the case, Miami Beach Detective Vivian Hernandez said last week.
One of Sharper's lawyers disputed all the rape allegations last week at his hearing.
"It was all consensual contact with women who wanted to be in his company," Leonard Levine said.
Sharper played for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints from 1997 through the 2010 season.

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