Jailblazer Mania

Complaint involving Randolph investigated
Police say the Blazers forward is a possible witness or a possible suspect in the case -
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
MAXINE BERNSTEIN
The Portland Police Bureau acknowledged Monday that it is investigating a sexual assault complaint that was made on Aug. 14 involving Trail Blazers forward Zach Randolph.

"It's possible he's a witness; it's possible he's a suspect," said Sgt. Brian Schmautz, Portland police spokesman. "We're still working through the information in the complaint and investigating."

A detective in the bureau's sex assault detail has been assigned to the case and interviews still are being conducted, Schmautz said.

The investigation apparently stems from a complaint by one of two women who were with Randolph and another man in a hotel room in downtown Portland. The room at the Hotel Vintage Plaza was rented by Randolph.

A 9-1-1 call from a local hospital on the evening of Aug. 14, when the woman arrived to seek medical attention, alerted police to the complaint. The woman arrived at the hospital some days after the alleged assault. Police declined to say when the assault allegedly occurred.

Schmautz said Randolph has obtained a lawyer and has not been interviewed.

"We're hoping to get information from him," Schmautz said.

Police have not presented a case to prosecutors.

Last week, the Police Bureau refused to confirm that an investigation involving Randolph was under way, saying that not all potential witnesses had been contacted or interviewed, and that it was premature to say Randolph was involved in an investigation because of potential harm to his reputation should the complaint be unfounded. On Monday, police said they simply were reporting that he was named in a sexual assault complaint, but that they're not identifying him as a suspect.

Attorney Stephen Houze, who is representing Randolph, said he was disturbed by how the bureau has handled the case and their release of Randolph's name in connection with the complaint.

"It's completely inappropriate for any representative of the Portland Police Bureau to make a public comment while this matter is under investigation, suggesting in any way that Zach Randolph may be a suspect in this criminal investigation," Houze said.

"Until such time that the police have completed the investigation and it has been reviewed by the district attorney's office for a determination of whether any person may be subject to criminal prosecution, such premature comments seriously risk biasing the investigation and damaging perhaps irreparably the good name of Mr. Randolph."

Messages to Randolph and his agent, Raymond Brothers, were not returned.

Randolph, 25, has played five seasons for the Blazers, leading the team in scoring the past three seasons. Before the 2004 season, Randolph was given the largest contract in team history -- $84 million over six seasons.

The Blazers released a statement Monday afternoon, saying: "Since this matter is under investigation, out of respect for the legal process, we simply can't comment at this time. Once we have all the facts, we will act accordingly."

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1156217103179890.xml&coll=7

The woman arrived at the hospital some days after the alleged assault.

Don't mean to belittle the possible assault, but who waits "some days" after an attack to go to the hospital? Would certainly match a situation in which her friends told her, hey, he's rich, go after him.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Is this "Sex Show" news?
Heavy, involved, important discussion at 1320 SW Broadway on Monday afternoon involving eight Oregonian newsroom employees. The topic: Zach Randolph and Portland PD's statement regarding a police investigation involving the Blazers forward.

The discussion, as they tend to do in newspaper meetings began with a senior editor asking, "What do we know?"

You always know much more than you can get in the newspaper, but there have to be concerns about fairness to Randolph here. He's not been charged. He's not been named as a suspect. Nobody can be sure anyone will ever be charged with sexual assault because of the timeline of the incident. That's not to say nothing happened, but we should all tread lightly here.

Is this a story?

There were a couple of news agencies in town that ran with this, despite being totally out of the loop on the initial reporting. They were stealing fragments of unattributed information, just throwing it out there without really knowing what they were throwing. Can't say I'm surprised, but it was transparent in the way one of them rushed to post the police news release, then began poking around after the fact, one of them, a competitor, going as far as calling me, fishing for details and leads.

From Randolph's attorney:
"Until such time that the police have completed the investigation and it has been reviewed by the district attorney's office for a determination of whether any person may be subject to criminal prosecution, such premature comments seriously risk biasing the investigation and damaging perhaps irreparably the good name of Mr. Randolph."

I can't say I agree with Randolph's attorney regarding his client's "good name"... I mean, not after the drag racing down Broadway, the prior legal incidents and too many wrong place-wrong time events in his life. Good name? Randolph falls decidedly South of Shane Battier on the "good name" totem pole.

My interview last Thursday with Steve Patterson (since posted on Blazers.com) included some Z-Bo questions last week. The Blazers edited those questions and answers out of the interview transcript. Patterson, at that time, said he had no knowledge of any player being under investigation.

You have to wonder what the motivation of police investigators is here. They have a job to do, and I have confidence they're doing that job, but the statement on Monday was interesting. Are investigators shaking the trees, hoping something will fall? Or has something changed in the last 72 hours regarding this investigation, which The Oregonian has been following for six days.

I'm told that Randolph hired two women to perform a live sex show for himself and a friend at a downtown hotel. That's confirmed by multiple sources, including one person who was present. Bad judgement, sure. But it's not illegal in Oregon, according to the police. What happened after that, and what that involved will be included in a police report, if there are charges brought.

Did the show get out of hand? Were the women stiffed on the fee? Are police looking at something beyond the alleged sexual assault?

Chew on that while we're waiting.

Police/Blazers and can you cut a player for conduct?
Today's column is on the relationship between police and the Trail Blazers, including a seminar the team put together three years ago that outlined what to do in the event they were stopped by police in a traffic stop.

The Blazers now have about 12 good guys on this roster, but the trouble is they still have a couple of bozos (the guys who happen to have the longest-term deals) in the center of the mix.

I have to ask, did the team do its due dilligence on these cats? Darius Miles had bad knees and a poor attitude. And Zach Randolph had an established history of legal troubles. The Blazers were either the victim of a serious dupe job by both players or the team was flat naive in giving these guys a combined $132 million in guaranteed money.

Craig in Canby wants to know if the Trail Blazers can cut Randolph/Miles or exercise the moral turpitude clause in the Collective Bargaining Agreement if it should come to that point.

Two different issues, really.

The Blazers are within their rights to cut Randolph or any other player at any time, except the contracts in the NBA are guaranteed so they'd be on the hook for the remainder of his $84 million contract. Same goes for Miles.

There is a moral turpitude clause in every NBA contract that would allow the team to void it, but even as it's written loosely, historically that clause has been reserved for felony offenses. We're taking about Rae Carruth stuff. The Warriors tried this with Latrell Sprewell after he choked PJ Carlesimo, but it fell flat. So I don't think Miles dressing at halftime is necessarily going to hold up.

That clause:
The Team may terminate this Contract upon written notice to the Player if the Player shall at any time, fail, refuse, or neglect to conform his personal conduct to standards of good citizenship, good moral character (defined here to mean not engaging in acts of moral turpitude, whether or not such acts would constitute a crime), and good sportsmanship, to keep himself in first class physical condition, or to obey the Team’s training rules.

Police expect some resolution in the investigation that involves Randolph sometime later this week. I'll acknowledge the bureau was in a no-win situation with this case. Confirm Randolph as part of the investigation and get criticism from bozos like me who think it's borderline unfair without charges or naming him a suspect... don't confirm and get criticism from reporters working the case who were aware that Randolph was somehow involved in the investigation.

Gooey situation.

To the bureau's credit, they went one step further by declaring Randolph was not a suspect at that point. In time, the reports will be public record. We'll know more then. The question now is how long Randolph will wait to cooperate.

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN: SPECIAL DELIVERY TO PORTLAND POLICEThere was a dozen boxes of donuts delivered to Portland's Northeast Police Precinct today along with this note:

"Dear friends,

"After having spent three years on the Citizens Crime Commission, working with PAL and many fine officers I know how difficult your job can be.

"So, I decided today to stop investing in The Oregonian and instead buy donuts for all my real friends at the Portland Police Bureau.

"I hope you will enjoy and have a great day.

"Best wishes from your friend,

Steve Patterson"

True story.

Yes.

Donuts to the police?

Oh man.

I guess I am left with no choice but to leave you with the Bangles... who once sang...


All the cops in the donut shop say
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian
Walk like an Egyptian

_____________________________________________________________

All 3 of these stories can be found at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/canzano/index.ssf?/mtlogs/olive_JohnCanzano/archives/2006_08.html#175148

It's just amazing how one team can have so many problems not matter what they do. Have they officially changed their name to the Jail Blazers yet? They may as well.

Blazers' Randolph won't be charged
The district attorney declines to file charges related to a sexual-assault complaint


Thursday, September 21, 2006
MAXINE BERNSTEIN
The Multnomah County District Attorney's office said Wednesday it will not file criminal charges against Trail Blazers starting forward Zach Randolph after reviewing a sexual-assault complaint investigated by Portland police.

Prosecutors found that Randolph offered to pay $500 to two women to simulate a sex act in a room he rented at the Hotel Vintage Plaza on Aug. 11.

But the district attorney's office found insufficient evidence to show that a rape involving Randolph occurred, as was alleged.

Because of a three-day delay in the complainant's reporting of the allegation, investigators had no forensic or medical evidence and faced contradictory statements from witnesses who were intoxicated the night of the incident, according to a three-page memo from the district attorney's office.

Prosecutors also declined to bring promoting-prostitution charges against Randolph because the allegations couldn't be corroborated by anyone other than those who were involved in the potentially criminal acts.

Randolph, 25, has played five seasons for the Blazers and led the team in scoring the past three. Before the 2004 season, he was given the largest contract in team history -- $84 million over six seasons.

Randolph's attorney, Stephen Houze, praised the police investigation but questioned the motives of the woman who made the complaint. He said all of Randolph's conduct was lawful.

"As the full facts were developed, it became clear that he was, in fact, the target of an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a great deal of money," Houze wrote in a prepared release, posted on the Blazers' Web site.

But attorney Glen McClendon, who represents the woman who brought the complaint, said his client was victimized and is exploring whether to pursue a civil lawsuit.

"I certainly respect the district attorney's office and understand that in the criminal context they have to apply a much higher standard of proof," McClendon said. "But it's not a comment as to whether or not my client was wronged on that night. I don't think the facts will be something Randolph will be proud of."

According to the memo written by senior deputy district attorney Don Rees, a woman went to St. Vincent Medical Center on Aug. 14 and told staff she had been sexually assaulted by Randolph three days earlier.

Police interviewed three of the four people who were in the hotel room that night. Randolph, through his attorney, refused to be interviewed.

The investigation showed that Randolph asked his "occasional sex partner" and another woman whom he had not met before to perform a simulated sex show at the hotel room. There was some discrepancy as to whether or not Randolph asked the women to perform oral sex, but there was no dispute that sex was only simulated in the show that was performed, Rees wrote in the memo.

The woman who filed the complaint said Randolph was disappointed that the show had only simulated sex and refused to pay her. After the show, she said, she had consensual sex with Randolph's friend and then fell asleep or "passed out." She claimed she awoke and found Randolph trying to have anal sex with her. She told investigators she awoke and "slapped" Randolph away twice. Ultimately, she told police that Randolph lifted her onto a table and had sex with her while she shook her head "no," the memo says.

Prosecutors said the woman admitted she was extremely intoxicated, having had three cocktails and three double shots of tequila -- alcohol purchased by Randolph.

The other woman involved in the show told investigators she did not witness any sex between Randolph and the complainant, saying she was physically ill and spent about 21/2 hours in the bathroom.

A male friend of Randolph's was in the room and was interviewed by detectives. He described himself as a member of the "Hoop Family," one of Randolph's close associates. He said he "frequently sexually shares women" with Randolph but denied any knowledge of money passing between Randolph and the women that night.

He claimed he didn't see the simulated sex show because he was busy setting up music to play on his laptop, but he said he did have consensual sex with the complainant afterward, and so did Randolph.

The next day, the two women involved agreed to meet Randolph at a concert at the Portland Art Museum. The meeting never occurred. Instead, the complainant text-messaged the other woman involved, demanding $10,000 from Randolph and threatening to take the matter to lawyers the next day if she didn't get the money, the memo says. The other woman sent a message back Aug. 14, saying she'd pick up $500.

Randolph, in a statement issued by his lawyer, thanked those who have stood by him.

"Throughout this investigation he has enjoyed the support of his family, friends, loyal fans, teammates, and the Portland Trail Blazer organization," Houze wrote. "Zach wants to express his sincere appreciation to all of them as well as his regret for the embarrassment and concern they have experienced."

The Blazers said they were satisfied with the outcome, but that it was disturbing to have the allegation hanging over the head of a team member and the franchise the last month and a half.

"We're pleased that Zach has acknowledged that his actions have embarrassed the team and our fans," the Blazers' statement said. "We're undertaking appropriate steps to work with Zach and his representatives to ensure that he understands the expectations for conduct by all our players as representatives of this team and our city."

Early in the investigation, the Blazers delivered 15 dozen doughnuts to Portland police at the bureau's precincts. The team's mascot dropped off a special basketball-shaped doughnut for Chief Rosie Sizer. The delivery came shortly after an Oregonian column about how Blazers officials once held a meeting, instructing their players not to cooperate with police.

Police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz later telephoned the Blazers public relations staff to say that the doughnut deliveries were not appropriate.
Maxine Bernstein: 503-221-8212; maxinebernstein@news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/115881092782800.xml&coll=7&thispage=1

Randolph is the epitome of what is wrong with the NBA. Players with so much talent and ability that have absolutely no work ethic, heart, or determination are all ready so common. The more we learn about them, the more we find that they are totally lacking any kind of class or dignity as well.