Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - After being cleared of rape accusations, former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza can now work to clear his name and restore his reputation.
New light was shed this week on the California civil case involving Araiza,
who was cut from the team in August of 2022.
The suit accused him of rape, at a party in 2021, while he was in college at San Diego State.
Listen to WBEN now!
Yahoo! cited a transcript this week in which prosecutors said Araiza was not present when an alleged gang rape of a minor occurred nor was he visible in videos recovered after the incident. Back in December, San Diego prosecutors said they would not be pursuing criminal charges against him.
Related
What does this mean for the 22-year-old, who was a sixth-round pick for the Bills in 2022, and lost his job over the allegation?
"It's very tough," said Buffalo attorney Terry Connors. "The allegation is on the front page and the exoneration is on the obituary page."
Connors was asked about legal recourse. "Araiza could institute some form of a civil lawsuit against the individual who made the complaint." But he was quick to add that it is very often a futile exercise because it can lead to protracted litigation, and could result in nothing beyond a monetary judgement.
Could Araiza go after authorities in the case? Again, Connors said that is an unlikely avenue. "There is a great deal of immunity that is attached to investigations by law enforcement. It is an automatic protection
so they can do their jobs."
Connors said there are some companies that help people restore their reputations, especially for someone falsely accused of something. "This can be effective," although, he noted, it remains a difficult road.
Araiza remains out of football to this day because of the legal suit.
"The best advice for Matt Araiza is to go forward and try to live his life as well as he can. He should try to pursue his goals and his dreams." Connors adding, "That would be the best proof of his exoneration."