Frank Clark's Police Report (For Off Field Discussion)

[bigtrain21]

Matt,

We really don't know what happened. The prosecutor clearly disagrees with you and she had significantly more info than you do.

When I was 19 I was dating a girl that was under 5 feet tall and less than 100 pounds. I was 6'3" 230 and playing low level college baseball. I took a wrong turn in the car and she freaked out so bad I pulled over. I was laughing because she got so mad and she punched me square in the face. I was in shock and she proceeded to punch me 6 more times. I did not hit her back but she clearly was the instigator in this and if I would have hit her back my life could have gone a lot different.

 

[Shadowhawk]

I don't post here often, but this is an issue that I believe is worth commenting on...

I find it quite shocking that there are so many Seahawks fans both within and outside of this thread that either truly believe Frank Clark did not hit his girlfriend, or that it was somehow the woman's fault because she "bit his nose" or "threw a TV remote at him". The evidence is quite overwhelming that Frank physically assaulted his girlfriend, through the police reports, the witness claims (including the most recent hotel staff witness report), the plea bargain, etc. It is SO CLEAR that everyone here is trying to fool themselves into somehow truly believing that he did not physically assault his girlfriend, or that he was "defending" himself because his 250 pound frame was in so much danger that he had to grab her clothes so hard that it caused bruising on her neck. If you believe this BS, you are either incredibly unintelligent or you have successfully convinced yourself that theres no way your favourite team would draft a man who committed a crime that got Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, and others suspended for significant periods of time.

The front office knew he hit her. John Schneider and Pete Carroll knew he hit her. But they also knew one other thing: By drafting him, they knew they were getting a first round pass rusher late in the second round. This is a business folks. JS will stand in front of that podium all day long and preach that they were "certain" he never hit her, and he will never be disputed because no one can truly prove him wrong. Assuming nothing else pops up, people will forget about his incidents once the season is underway and if he performs on the field, JS and PC did exactly what they wanted to do.

Lets move on from debating whether or not the violence took place, it happened and that is frankly (no pun intended) undeniable. If you want to come out and say "he did something wrong, but he paid the price given to him by the NCAA and the justice system, so lets give him another chance" then fine. I think DV is one of the most serious crimes that one can commit, and I know the lasting mental damage it can have on an individual. If there's any silver lining of these DV issues in the NFL, its that it is raising awareness and understanding of the seriousness of such an act. However, I also believe in second chances and that people should be allowed to move on from their mistakes. It just disturbs me that people are trying to defend him/blame the girlfriend or outright deny anything took place. It is disturbing and while I hope the best for Frank Clark's career and the Seahawks, I believe everyone should be ashamed of themselves for how the situation has been handled, from Frank Clark himself, to the justice system, to the NFL, to PC and JS and the rest of the Seahawks management, and from the fans.

Here's what I do and don't believe:

I believe that a prosecutor who spoke with all parties involved and had access to information we don't have looked at the available evidence and determined that there was a "physical altercation" that "did not rise to the level of domestic violence," and that Clark did not punch Diamond Hurt.

I DON'T believe a night hotel manager who says that she was afraid for Hurt's safety and that Clark admitted hitting Hurt and threatened to hit her only to "forget" (her word, not mind) to say any of this to the police that night. I also don't believe her when she says she didn't mention this admission/threat in her initial interview with the Times "out of anxiety and fear of retaliation" (again, her words) when she definitively told both Geoff Baker of the Times and Chris Daniels on a TV interview with KING 5 that Clark hit Hurt. (TV interview here: http://bcove.me/cw6ego18)

I believe Geoff Baker and Larry Stone have made up their minds that Clark hit Hurt and are unwilling to consider that they might be wrong. I also believe they are doing their readers a disservice by taking this tack regarding a subject that is so explosive.

I believe reasonable people can look at the facts available and reach different conclusions. However, I believe part of having a reasonable opinion on this subject requires admitting that we don't have all the facts, we have not spoken with all of the parties involved, and cannot say for certain that we "know" what happened that night. And frankly I believe it is more than a little sanctimonious for anyone to claim otherwise.

 

[Tical21]

I think it's about time for the Seahawks to admit they made a mistake and refuse to sign the young man to a contract. It is going to be a long time before this goes away. This is going to haunt both of them.

 

[Hawkfan77]

I think it's about time for the Seahawks to admit they made a mistake and refuse to sign the young man to a contract. It is going to be a long time before this goes away. This is going to haunt both of them.

Or not...that's a pretty terrible suggestion

 

[LymonHawk]

Matt,

We really don't know what happened. The prosecutor clearly disagrees with you and she had significantly more info than you do.

When I was 19 I was dating a girl that was under 5 feet tall and less than 100 pounds. I was 6'3" 230 and playing low level college baseball. I took a wrong turn in the car and she freaked out so bad I pulled over. I was laughing because she got so mad and she punched me square in the face. I was in shock and she proceeded to punch me 6 more times. I did not hit her back but she clearly was the instigator in this and if I would have hit her back my life could have gone a lot different.

So, how long have the two of you been married? :mrgreen:

 

[LymonHawk]

I don't post here often, but this is an issue that I believe is worth commenting on....

You don't post here often? LOL! You've only been here seven weeks!

Am I wrong if I guess the '16' in your moniker is your age?

 

[AgentDib]

Lets move on from debating whether or not the violence took place, it happened and that is frankly (no pun intended) undeniable.... I think DV is one of the most serious crimes that one can commit

What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our legal system? If you want to come up with your own opinion about whether crimes occur and what the penalty for crimes should be then that's fine, but surely the rest of us should put more value in the opinion of the better informed prosecutors and judges involved in the actual criminal and civil cases.

 

[Tech Worlds]

I think it's about time for the Seahawks to admit they made a mistake and refuse to sign the young man to a contract. It is going to be a long time before this goes away. This is going to haunt both of them.

Glad you have no say on decisions

 

[bigtrain21]

Matt,

We really don't know what happened. The prosecutor clearly disagrees with you and she had significantly more info than you do.

When I was 19 I was dating a girl that was under 5 feet tall and less than 100 pounds. I was 6'3" 230 and playing low level college baseball. I took a wrong turn in the car and she freaked out so bad I pulled over. I was laughing because she got so mad and she punched me square in the face. I was in shock and she proceeded to punch me 6 more times. I did not hit her back but she clearly was the instigator in this and if I would have hit her back my life could have gone a lot different.

So, how long have the two of you been married? :mrgreen:

Ha ha. Good one. :grin:

 

[hawknation2015]

Lets move on from debating whether or not the violence took place, it happened and that is frankly (no pun intended) undeniable.... I think DV is one of the most serious crimes that one can commit

What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our legal system? If you want to come up with your own opinion about whether crimes occur and what the penalty for crimes should be then that's fine, but surely the rest of us should put more value in the opinion of the better informed prosecutors and judges involved in the actual criminal and civil cases.

It does appear from the facts that violence took place, but it also appears to have been a mutual altercation with Clark walking away with a more serious injury than his ex-girlfriend . . . hence the disorderly conduct conviction instead of assault/DV.

The team drafted him because they saw potential in him. Hopefully he lives up to that potential on and off the field.

 

[Donn2390]

This latest thing that came out this morning, I call complete BS. The night manager was quoted as saying Frank told her, "get out of my way or I'll hit you like I hit her". No one talks like that, I'll hit you like I hit her? That just didn't happen.

 

[Rainger]

This latest thing that came out this morning, I call complete BS. The night manager was quoted as saying Frank told her, "get out of my way or I'll hit you like I hit her". No one talks like that, I'll hit you like I hit her? That just didn't happen.

THIS: :13:

 

[brimsalabim]

Regardless Clark will now have a spot light shining upon his off field activities. I hope he understands that he will be held to a higher standard now. He will get his chance to show who he truly is.

 

[Shadowhawk]

This article came out in USA Today a couple of days ago. Apologies if it has already been posted, but I didn't see it on here:

Seahawks did plenty of due diligence before drafting controversial Frank Clark

It was not what I refer to as a battering or domestic violence situation," said Lynne Gast-King, municipal prosecutor for Sandusky, Ohio, since 1996. "It was a verbal argument that went into a physical argument that spiraled out of control, and both parties had their part in this."

So if the state of Ohio says Clark isn't a batterer, and the NFL is doing nothing to bar him from the league, should it be the responsibility of people trained and paid to scout football players to conduct their own criminal investigation and render an independent verdict?

As of late February, when Clark's agent, Erik Burkhardt, met with the Seahawks at the scouting combine, the team's message was clear: "If he has these charges pending, we won't draft him," Burkhardt recalled being told during a phone call Thursday.

In the months that followed, the Seahawks went beyond their normal research. They talked to Clark's attorney and his counselor. Seahawks general manager John Schneider deployed national scout Ed Dodds to Ann Arbor, Mich., on a two-day fact-finding mission that turned up the same support among everyone from recruiters and coaches to university officials that other NFL teams heard.

"Obviously something happened," an area scout for an AFC team said, "but everybody there stood behind (the) kid...."

The Seahawks brought in Clark for a pre-draft visit. They had him meet with their sports psychologist. They cross-checked the story he told with other teams: that the altercation turned physical when his then-girlfriend threw something at him. And though he restrained her — leading her to bite his nose — he never hit her, despite the ugly details of the aftermath contained in the police report.

After interviewing both Clark and his former girlfriend, Diamond Hurt, as well as Hurt's family members, Gast-King came to the conclusion that Clark, who had been drinking, didn't intend to injure her. Hurt didn't want charges filed, nor does she want to be referred to as a victim, Gast-King said.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... /70978402/

 

[Hawkfan77]

This article came out in USA Today a couple of days ago. Apologies if it has already been posted, but I didn't see it on here:

Seahawks did plenty of due diligence before drafting controversial Frank Clark

It was not what I refer to as a battering or domestic violence situation," said Lynne Gast-King, municipal prosecutor for Sandusky, Ohio, since 1996. "It was a verbal argument that went into a physical argument that spiraled out of control, and both parties had their part in this."

So if the state of Ohio says Clark isn't a batterer, and the NFL is doing nothing to bar him from the league, should it be the responsibility of people trained and paid to scout football players to conduct their own criminal investigation and render an independent verdict?

As of late February, when Clark's agent, Erik Burkhardt, met with the Seahawks at the scouting combine, the team's message was clear: "If he has these charges pending, we won't draft him," Burkhardt recalled being told during a phone call Thursday.

In the months that followed, the Seahawks went beyond their normal research. They talked to Clark's attorney and his counselor. Seahawks general manager John Schneider deployed national scout Ed Dodds to Ann Arbor, Mich., on a two-day fact-finding mission that turned up the same support among everyone from recruiters and coaches to university officials that other NFL teams heard.

"Obviously something happened," an area scout for an AFC team said, "but everybody there stood behind (the) kid...."

The Seahawks brought in Clark for a pre-draft visit. They had him meet with their sports psychologist. They cross-checked the story he told with other teams: that the altercation turned physical when his then-girlfriend threw something at him. And though he restrained her — leading her to bite his nose — he never hit her, despite the ugly details of the aftermath contained in the police report.

After interviewing both Clark and his former girlfriend, Diamond Hurt, as well as Hurt's family members, Gast-King came to the conclusion that Clark, who had been drinking, didn't intend to injure her. Hurt didn't want charges filed, nor does she want to be referred to as a victim, Gast-King said.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... /70978402/

An article that seems to actually have been researched and vetted, I'm shocked. :sarcasm_off:

This is a far cry from the garbage that Baker throws together for sake of selling papers. Thanks for posting

 

[scutterhawk]

So there were visible injuries, the victim said he assaulted her, there were little kids in the room that ran for help telling people that Frank was killing their sister...but it never happened because the charges were dropped? Okaaay.

Fact is, Diamond's little brother didn't say Frank is "Killing" Diamond, he said "Frank KILLED Diamond" he was 5 Years old, and I'm betting that he and his 3 Year old brother were traumatized by the altercation, and the incoherency from it, likely resulted in some exaggeration by the little guys.
P. Jones, and a bunch of other holier than thou folks, have embellished on the incident, and had her beaten to a pulp, and barely recognizable, after Frank Grabbed her by the throat :roll: , and in her OWN words, DID NOT HAPPEN...The necklace and it's cameo (or whatever 'twas on the necklace) caused the red scuffing on her neck when Frank grabbed her BLOUSE.
Frank got the worse end of the deal, and more the usual, the guy gets arrested.
Personal experiences here---My Wife called the Police because of a DA involving our Daughter, who admitted that it was SHE that did the hitting and not the other way around, but it didn't matter...he was the one who was charged, and hauled to jail.
NOT saying that Frank Clark is absolutely innocent AT ALL, just saying there's usually a lot more to a story, even the ones that can get over-blown.
Charges were dropped, but the damage was far greater to Frank Clarks character that to the two lamps at the Maui Sands in Ohio.

 

[vonstout]

Not good. Sounds like he admitted hitting her.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ank-clark/

 

[Hawkfan77]

Not good. Sounds like he admitted hitting her.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ank-clark/

No

 

[City Of Reign]

Not good. Sounds like he admitted hitting her.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ank-clark/

Some people will believe anything.

P.S. I have some seaside property in Iowa I'm trying to get rid of for a really great price.

 

[massari]

I'd bet most men in the NFL have hit/abused a woman but just havn't been caught. This is why people just need to focus on the game and not get into personal lives.