Roethlisberger Goes To Georgia, Doesn't Talk With Police
Report: Pittsburgh Steelers QB's Birthday Trip Called 'Ben-A-Palooza'
POSTED: 7:29 pm EDT March 14, 2010
UPDATED: 12:25 am EDT March 17, 2010
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MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. -- Some media are reporting that Ben Roethlisberger will provide a DNA sample for the ongoing investigation of a young woman's claim of sexual assault, but Channel 4 Action News reporter Ari Hait's sources said the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback's lawyer has not agreed to it and police may need to get a warrant first.Video - 
Watch Ari Hait's ReportAgent Tom Davis, of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, told Channel 4 Action News on Tuesday that Roethlisberger was in Georgia this past weekend but police have not interviewed him yet.Davis said police spent the weekend talking to a number of Roethlisberger's friends who were partying with him on the night of March 4 and into the early morning of March 5, when the assault allegedly took place at Capital City nightclub."This past weekend, we were able to interview a number of the individuals that were with Ben Roethlisberger the night this alleged incident occurred," Davis said.Davis would not identify who those individuals were, nor would he say what they told him. He did say he would still like to talk to Roethlisberger, but Roethlisberger's attorney, Ed Garland, has prevented that so far. Garland has cooperated with every aspect of the investigation except allowing police to talk to Roethlisberger, Davis said."We were told early on that there was a possibility that we would be able to interview him, but with him being his defense attorney, that's a decision that he has to make," Davis said.Davis stressed that other than talking to police, Roethlisberger has been as helpful as he can with the investigation.When Hait asked if that means Roethlisberger has provided a DNA sample, Davis said he would not comment on any matters of evidence. Milledgeville Police Chief Woodrow Blue told Channel 4 Action News same thing via telephone on Tuesday."He has been cooperating with us. Other than the interview, he has (done) everything we have asked him to do," Blue said."When you say he is cooperating with every aspect of the investigation, does that mean he has provided you with a DNA sample?" Hait asked."I can't discuss that at this time," Blue said.Milledgeville police told Hait on Monday that they will not rush the case -- much of which is being handled by the GBI -- and have not set a timeline for a decision about whether or not Roethlisberger will be charged with a crime. Roethlsiberger's lawyer has denied that his client committed any criminal act.Roethlisberger missed the first day of the Steelers' off-season workouts Monday, but so did 18 other starting players. The Steelers said it would have been out of the ordinary had he been there.His accuser may return to Georgia College & State University as early as this week, according to the woman's lawyer. She took a leave of absence and went home to her parents in Atlanta after media descended on the tiny college town where she claims to have been assaulted.The 20-year-old woman made a surprise appearance over the weekend at a sorority retreat in the mountains of northern Georgia. Her sisters said she was acting very normal and just wanted to get away for the weekend and didn't want to talk about the allegations.New pictures and information about Roethlisberger's trip with friends for a birthday celebration in Georgia were published Sunday on TMZ.com.The TMZ report indicated that the getaway apparently had a name, Ben-a-palooza, and the men boarded a bus and headed for Roethlisberger's Georgia home before going on a Milledgeville bar crawl.Accompanying Roethlisberger on the trip were two off-duty Pittsburgh-area police officers who were not acting as security on the trip, but were only there as his friends."My client saw absolutely no illegal activity whatsoever, nothing to indicate that anything out-of-line happened," said Mike Santicola, a lawyer for one of the police officers.
Watch Ari Hait's ReportAgent Tom Davis, of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, told Channel 4 Action News on Tuesday that Roethlisberger was in Georgia this past weekend but police have not interviewed him yet.Davis said police spent the weekend talking to a number of Roethlisberger's friends who were partying with him on the night of March 4 and into the early morning of March 5, when the assault allegedly took place at Capital City nightclub."This past weekend, we were able to interview a number of the individuals that were with Ben Roethlisberger the night this alleged incident occurred," Davis said.Davis would not identify who those individuals were, nor would he say what they told him. He did say he would still like to talk to Roethlisberger, but Roethlisberger's attorney, Ed Garland, has prevented that so far. Garland has cooperated with every aspect of the investigation except allowing police to talk to Roethlisberger, Davis said."We were told early on that there was a possibility that we would be able to interview him, but with him being his defense attorney, that's a decision that he has to make," Davis said.Davis stressed that other than talking to police, Roethlisberger has been as helpful as he can with the investigation.When Hait asked if that means Roethlisberger has provided a DNA sample, Davis said he would not comment on any matters of evidence. Milledgeville Police Chief Woodrow Blue told Channel 4 Action News same thing via telephone on Tuesday."He has been cooperating with us. Other than the interview, he has (done) everything we have asked him to do," Blue said."When you say he is cooperating with every aspect of the investigation, does that mean he has provided you with a DNA sample?" Hait asked."I can't discuss that at this time," Blue said.Milledgeville police told Hait on Monday that they will not rush the case -- much of which is being handled by the GBI -- and have not set a timeline for a decision about whether or not Roethlisberger will be charged with a crime. Roethlsiberger's lawyer has denied that his client committed any criminal act.Roethlisberger missed the first day of the Steelers' off-season workouts Monday, but so did 18 other starting players. The Steelers said it would have been out of the ordinary had he been there.His accuser may return to Georgia College & State University as early as this week, according to the woman's lawyer. She took a leave of absence and went home to her parents in Atlanta after media descended on the tiny college town where she claims to have been assaulted.The 20-year-old woman made a surprise appearance over the weekend at a sorority retreat in the mountains of northern Georgia. Her sisters said she was acting very normal and just wanted to get away for the weekend and didn't want to talk about the allegations.New pictures and information about Roethlisberger's trip with friends for a birthday celebration in Georgia were published Sunday on TMZ.com.The TMZ report indicated that the getaway apparently had a name, Ben-a-palooza, and the men boarded a bus and headed for Roethlisberger's Georgia home before going on a Milledgeville bar crawl.Accompanying Roethlisberger on the trip were two off-duty Pittsburgh-area police officers who were not acting as security on the trip, but were only there as his friends."My client saw absolutely no illegal activity whatsoever, nothing to indicate that anything out-of-line happened," said Mike Santicola, a lawyer for one of the police officers.- u local: View & Upload Your Photos & Videos
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