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Saying that the sexual assault allegations against him are "reckless and false," a forceful Ben Roethlisberger vowed to fight to protect his family and his reputation Thursday.
"I did not sexually assault Andrea McNulty," Roethlisberger said. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said that Saturday was the first he learned of the allegations, detailed in a civil suit filed by McNulty.
Roethlisberger said he would "respond to her outrageous allegations in the appropriate forum."
McNulty, a 31-year-old Lake Tahoe casino hostess, filed a civil lawsuit alleging the Super Bowl-winning quarterback raped her in a hotel penthouse last year.
"I would never, ever force myself on a woman," Roethlisberger said.
In his first public comments on the matter, Roethlisberger read a statement at the Steelers' practice complex in Pittsburgh. Dressed in a brown, pinstriped suit with no tie, Roethlisberger read from a prepared statement for less than two minutes and did not respond to questions.
Roethlisberger was accompanied by Steelers coach Mike Tomlin; his agent, Ryan Tollner; and his attorney, David Cornwell. They all left immediately after the statement was read.
He said he would remain focused on the upcoming season with the Steelers, the defending Super Bowl champions.
"The allegations against me are reckless and false," Roethlisberger said. "As much as I'd like to answer everyone's questions I'm going to respect the legal process and I'm confident that the truth will prevail."
Minutes after Roethlisberger finished his statement, NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal walked into the media room. Roethlisberger is participating in O'Neal's new reality TV series.
Roethlisberger canceled a Thursday news conference that was intended to promote the show, but ABC spokesman Edwin Escobar said in an e-mail Wednesday that production will proceed as scheduled Friday. In the show "Shaq Vs." debuting Aug. 18, Roethlisberger is one of the athletes O'Neal will challenge in their respective sports.
Law enforcement officials in Nevada said Wednesday they do not plan to open a criminal investigation into the alleged incident, which the accuser says happened in July 2008, when Roethlisberger was in Lake Tahoe participating in a celebrity golf tournament.
Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Teresa Duffy said the accuser would have to file a criminal complaint to trigger an investigation.
"The victim is the only one who can do that," Duffy told The Associated Press. "Unless there was a third party that actually witnessed the incident which, according to the civil case, was not the case here."
"I did not sexually assault Andrea McNulty," Roethlisberger said. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said that Saturday was the first he learned of the allegations, detailed in a civil suit filed by McNulty.
Roethlisberger said he would "respond to her outrageous allegations in the appropriate forum."
McNulty, a 31-year-old Lake Tahoe casino hostess, filed a civil lawsuit alleging the Super Bowl-winning quarterback raped her in a hotel penthouse last year.
"I would never, ever force myself on a woman," Roethlisberger said.
In his first public comments on the matter, Roethlisberger read a statement at the Steelers' practice complex in Pittsburgh. Dressed in a brown, pinstriped suit with no tie, Roethlisberger read from a prepared statement for less than two minutes and did not respond to questions.
Roethlisberger was accompanied by Steelers coach Mike Tomlin; his agent, Ryan Tollner; and his attorney, David Cornwell. They all left immediately after the statement was read.
He said he would remain focused on the upcoming season with the Steelers, the defending Super Bowl champions.
"The allegations against me are reckless and false," Roethlisberger said. "As much as I'd like to answer everyone's questions I'm going to respect the legal process and I'm confident that the truth will prevail."
Minutes after Roethlisberger finished his statement, NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal walked into the media room. Roethlisberger is participating in O'Neal's new reality TV series.
Roethlisberger canceled a Thursday news conference that was intended to promote the show, but ABC spokesman Edwin Escobar said in an e-mail Wednesday that production will proceed as scheduled Friday. In the show "Shaq Vs." debuting Aug. 18, Roethlisberger is one of the athletes O'Neal will challenge in their respective sports.
Law enforcement officials in Nevada said Wednesday they do not plan to open a criminal investigation into the alleged incident, which the accuser says happened in July 2008, when Roethlisberger was in Lake Tahoe participating in a celebrity golf tournament.
Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Teresa Duffy said the accuser would have to file a criminal complaint to trigger an investigation.
"The victim is the only one who can do that," Duffy told The Associated Press. "Unless there was a third party that actually witnessed the incident which, according to the civil case, was not the case here."
