Reuben Foster Arrested On Domestic Violence Charges

[rlkats]

Agreed. If it was any normal person without the big name or cool job, we would have already been locked up and the key thrown away. He is a football player. Guess what there is NOTHING special about him or any other athlete. It irritates the crap out of me that these guys are not held to the same standard as other Americans. To all the people that say, lets see what happens in the case first and see how that comes out. Your part of the issue. Really how much time would you be allowed to leave work for the same case he has without being replaced? How many jobs out there hand out 1 year or more suspensions then get to come back? Bottom line cut him and let him work his issues out. If he has been cleared of the charges of Domestic Violence, Illegal Weapons, and Drug Possession then fine he will be picked up and "get a job". Last time I checked that's how the world works for ordinary people why not superstar athletes?

To be clear, absolutely NONE OF THIS is a defense of Foster or the 9ers (not at all, I'm the one who bumped the thread saying they should cut him), but your argument on this and special treatment is straight up nonsense.

1) The legal system moves slowly for everybody. Was it someone here who said the 6th amendment is far and away the most violated constitutional amendment in the U.S.? If so, that's absolutely true.

2) That "regular people" are regularly losing their jobs due to DV charges is just nonsense. You seriously think employers are checking their employees against arrest records every month? Unless you're serving jail time or are a public employee chances are your employer isn't ever even gonna know you're knocking your girlfriend or wife around in your off hours, and aren't ever gonna know because unlike NFL players it's never gonna get reported on in the newspaper.

3) NFL players have a lower rate of domestic violence than the general population, which is about 10%. I mean dude, the domestic violence rate for police officers is 25% on the low end and above 40% on the high end. As public employees the two crimes that police officers are least likely to lose their jobs over are driving drunk and beating their intimate partners. Also how about cutting him for the plain reason of saying the we don't agree nor support his actions?

If you're concerned about the world working the same way for DV for "ordinary people" and everyone else, you're pissed off about cops, not NFL players.

#1 Hahaha no it doesn't move at the slow pace for everyone. Nice try. MONEY SLOWS it down bottom line. If you have the same case with a PD because no money, lets see how you do compared to having a high powered lawyer like he has.


#2 Really? You cant be that ignorant in your thought process that missed time from work due to legal actions doesn't = Losing your job. That's what i'm speaking of.


#3 I was speaking to the issue at hand. THE ATHLETES. But by all means if you want to make an argument about Police go ahead. I'm not going there as to it will bring up a slew of issues.

The bottom line he was locked up (released) and accused, he is missing time starting Monday, he and all athletes are roll models for children all over the U.S. That's why cutting or releasing him sets a better tone. That's the line I was getting to. But by all means get to the point where you think the system is the same for all man kind. It differs for all people. Money, class, race, who you know and what you job is.

 

[kobebryant]

I don't mind what Sherm is doing.

You can hate the act and not the person. Even if he is disgusted by Foster's actions, Sherm likely believes in not turning your back or shunning someone at their lowest point, especially a teammate. Taking steps to help Foster become a better person doesn't mean Sherm lacks empathy or compassion for the accuser. I for one in the future would rather read about a redeemed Reuben Foster citing Sherm as a mentor than read about an alienated Reuben Foster going on to continue to beat women.

Sherm is a volatile mouthpiece, long hated by most non-Seahawks fans, but I think we can all agree that he is a first class citizen whose heart is generally in the right place.

 

[chris98251]

2) That "regular people" are regularly losing their jobs due to DV charges is just nonsense. You seriously think employers are checking their employees against arrest records every month? Unless you're serving jail time or are a public employee chances are your employer isn't ever even gonna know you're knocking your girlfriend or wife around in your off hours, and aren't ever gonna know because unlike NFL players it's never gonna get reported on in the newspaper.

I know for a fact because we have to sign off on an agreement every year that this or even a traffic violation of significance, losing your license, accident can cost you your job, you are by agreement suppose to report any arrests and traffic violations, if not and they find out are subject at their discretion for termination.

It's liability and call it image they want to protect.

 

[Marvin49]

2) That "regular people" are regularly losing their jobs due to DV charges is just nonsense. You seriously think employers are checking their employees against arrest records every month? Unless you're serving jail time or are a public employee chances are your employer isn't ever even gonna know you're knocking your girlfriend or wife around in your off hours, and aren't ever gonna know because unlike NFL players it's never gonna get reported on in the newspaper.

LOTS of jobs would be in jeopardy with a serious domestic violence charge, especially if after you were prosecuted it was on your record as a felony. Any job with a designation, white or blue collar your employer would know if you had a felony on your record pretty quickly.

My point, and I think others is the amount of support and resources for a star athlete vs a regular person.........and for me, the attention and support given to the athlete vs the woman who just had her eardrum shattered.

And I know you guys aren't defending Foster's actions, but here we have a football player that's all over the news, and everyone out of the Niners camp is bending over backwards to support a dude who beat the living crap out of a woman..............how bout as an organization offering to help her as well?

Nope, cause she doesn't have the potential for 100+ tackles a year.

Well that's the rub...if the 49ers HAD offered her help, we wouldn't know it. She is a much more private person so we have no way of knowing what has happened in that regard. I would neither assume they have attempted to help her or that they haven't.

Additionally, an employer is typically going to go to bat for their employee, not their employees girlfriend. That doesn't mean they'll stand in opposition to the girlfriend and take a side, but they will be more invested in the person they employ.

 

[Marvin49]

I don't mind what Sherm is doing.

You can hate the act and not the person. Even if he is disgusted by Foster's actions, Sherm likely believes in not turning your back or shunning someone at their lowest point, especially a teammate. Taking steps to help Foster become a better person doesn't mean Sherm lacks empathy or compassion for the accuser. I for one in the future would rather read about a redeemed Reuben Foster citing Sherm as a mentor than read about an alienated Reuben Foster going on to continue to beat women.

Sherm is a volatile mouthpiece, long hated by most non-Seahawks fans, but I think we can all agree that he is a first class citizen whose heart is generally in the right place.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Marvin49]

2) That "regular people" are regularly losing their jobs due to DV charges is just nonsense. You seriously think employers are checking their employees against arrest records every month? Unless you're serving jail time or are a public employee chances are your employer isn't ever even gonna know you're knocking your girlfriend or wife around in your off hours, and aren't ever gonna know because unlike NFL players it's never gonna get reported on in the newspaper.

I know for a fact because we have to sign off on an agreement every year that this or even a traffic violation of significance, losing your license, accident can cost you your job, you are by agreement suppose to report any arrests and traffic violations, if not and they find out are subject at their discretion for termination.

It's liability and call it image they want to protect.

I think its different from job to job...which is kinda the point.

When I accepted my job (I work in Tech) it was subject to a background check, but they aren't going to go back retroactively and keep running background checks. If I were to serve time then of course I would have to tell them why I couldn't be at work, but if I were arrested for any number of things but never missed work they would have no idea.

The point here being that saying "if it were a regular person" is a misnomer because you need to define "regular person". There are tons of jobs that don't require background checks outside of your initial hire.

 

[Popeyejones]

^^^ Yep. Tons of jobs, really meaning the vast, vast majority of jobs in the private sector. Some jobs (PARTICULARLY in the public sector) might demand you self-report a felony plea or conviction, but again, Foster isn’t even there yet, and the only people who self-report are the ones who know they won’t get fired if they do but will get fired if they’re employer finds out and they don’t.

Y’all keep on talking about how an employer would find out through serving jail time but that has nothing to do with Foster — he doesn’t even have a trial date set let alone having been convicted and sentenced. He’s out on bail like all the other domestic abusers who have been charged and are awaiting trial. The only difference between Foster and all the every day domestic abusers is that the whole world knows he has been arrested and charged. Y’all act like you don’t have co-workers with assorted restraining orders and DV charges that nobody at work knows about, but unless you work for (or run) a small business that’s just statistically impossible.

Rlkats— having a (non PD) lawyer means you can probably delay the trial (and maybe have a shot in hell at trial if you don’t plead out), but it means less than nothing for how long the DA takes to decide to charge you or not. It’s just not part of the equation. :2thumbs:

 

[rlkats]

:roll:

^^^ Yep. Tons of jobs, really meaning the vast, vast majority of jobs in the private sector. Some jobs (PARTICULARLY in the public sector) might demand you self-report a felony plea or conviction, but again, Foster isn’t even there yet, and the only people who self-report are the ones who know they won’t get fired if they do but will get fired if they’re employer finds out and they don’t.

Y’all keep on talking about how an employer would find out through serving jail time but that has nothing to do with Foster — he doesn’t even have a trial date set let alone having been convicted and sentenced. He’s out on bail like all the other domestic abusers who have been charged and are awaiting trial. The only difference between Foster and all the every day domestic abusers is that the whole world knows he has been arrested and charged. Y’all act like you don’t have co-workers with assorted restraining orders and DV charges that nobody at work knows about, but unless you work for (or run) a small business that’s just statistically impossible.

Rlkats— having a (non PD) lawyer means you can probably delay the trial (and maybe have a shot in hell at trial if you don’t plead out), but it means less than nothing for how long the DA takes to decide to charge you or not. It’s just not part of the equation. :2thumbs:

 

[5_Golden_Rings]

Agreed. If it was any normal person without the big name or cool job, we would have already been locked up and the key thrown away. He is a football player. Guess what there is NOTHING special about him or any other athlete. It irritates the crap out of me that these guys are not held to the same standard as other Americans. To all the people that say, lets see what happens in the case first and see how that comes out. Your part of the issue. Really how much time would you be allowed to leave work for the same case he has without being replaced? How many jobs out there hand out 1 year or more suspensions then get to come back? Bottom line cut him and let him work his issues out. If he has been cleared of the charges of Domestic Violence, Illegal Weapons, and Drug Possession then fine he will be picked up and "get a job". Last time I checked that's how the world works for ordinary people why not superstar athletes?

To be clear, absolutely NONE OF THIS is a defense of Foster or the 9ers (not at all, I'm the one who bumped the thread saying they should cut him), but your argument on this and special treatment is straight up nonsense.

1) The legal system moves slowly for everybody. Was it someone here who said the 6th amendment is far and away the most violated constitutional amendment in the U.S.? If so, that's absolutely true.

2) That "regular people" are regularly losing their jobs due to DV charges is just nonsense. You seriously think employers are checking their employees against arrest records every month? Unless you're serving jail time or are a public employee chances are your employer isn't ever even gonna know you're knocking your girlfriend or wife around in your off hours, and aren't ever gonna know because unlike NFL players it's never gonna get reported on in the newspaper.

3) NFL players have a lower rate of domestic violence than the general population, which is about 10%. I mean dude, the domestic violence rate for police officers is 25% on the low end and above 40% on the high end. As public employees the two crimes that police officers are least likely to lose their jobs over are driving drunk and beating their intimate partners. Also how about cutting him for the plain reason of saying the we don't agree nor support his actions?

If you're concerned about the world working the same way for DV for "ordinary people" and everyone else, you're pissed off about cops, not NFL players.

#1 Hahaha no it doesn't move at the slow pace for everyone. Nice try. MONEY SLOWS it down bottom line. If you have the same case with a PD because no money, lets see how you do compared to having a high powered lawyer like he has.


#2 Really? You cant be that ignorant in your thought process that missed time from work due to legal actions doesn't = Losing your job. That's what i'm speaking of.


#3 I was speaking to the issue at hand. THE ATHLETES. But by all means if you want to make an argument about Police go ahead. I'm not going there as to it will bring up a slew of issues.

The bottom line he was locked up (released) and accused, he is missing time starting Monday, he and all athletes are roll models for children all over the U.S. That's why cutting or releasing him sets a better tone. That's the line I was getting to. But by all means get to the point where you think the system is the same for all man kind. It differs for all people. Money, class, race, who you know and what you job is.

I'd say money isn't the direct cause of slowing down these cases, but an indirect one. Rather, when a DA faces someone wealthy enough to hire an attorney, they know their case must be stronger to maximize their chances of winning.

Public defenders and DAs usually know each other and have "hush-hush" agreements to expedite the process as much as possible, including more or less standardized plea deals offered to defendants. This is not always the case with private attorneys (and I'd bet it's more often not the case).



Nor is this the only cause for a slowing down of the process. Sometimes the investigations simply take longer. The DA needs a certain standard of evidence, and while legally they only need probable cause, in practice they try to get much more than that, because charging someone and losing the case is not only a waste of time and resources, it looks bad on their win/loss record. That, obviously, once again brings back the public defender versus private attorney situation. It's harder for the DA to win against a privately hired attorney in many cases, so they have to make a stronger case before the arrest is even made.

As for Foster's case, either they found the evidence standard they needed to form a particularly strong case, or they have been subjected to political pressure. I suspect it's the former more so than the latter, but in today's political environment, who knows?



Final note: One other cause of slowing down of the process: the simple fact that big jurisdictions face tens of thousands of such cases each year.

 

[brimsalabim]

So the story I read said that he asked her to leave and threw her and her things out of his house when she refused to leave. Next he was arrested for owning a gun that is still legal by federal law? I’m glad I don’t live in San Francisco where I might get charged with assault for holding the door open for a woman.

 

[rlkats]

So the story I read said that he asked her to leave and threw her and her things out of his house when she refused to leave. Next he was arrested for owning a gun that is still legal by federal law? I’m glad I don’t live in San Francisco where I might get charged with assault for holding the door open for a woman.

If it was that simple we wouldn’t be discussing the morality of the judicial system or lack there of. He allegedly punched her in the head 8-10 times rupturing her ear drum.

 

[Uncle Si]

So the story I read said that he asked her to leave and threw her and her things out of his house when she refused to leave. Next he was arrested for owning a gun that is still legal by federal law? I’m glad I don’t live in San Francisco where I might get charged with assault for holding the door open for a woman.

If it was that simple we wouldn’t be discussing the morality of the judicial system or lack there of. He allegedly punched her in the head 8-10 times rupturing her ear drum.

None of which should be discussed here.

 

[KitsapGuy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TheAthleticSF/status/985690994245971969[/tweet]

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yet he remains on the team. Hmmm

 

[Marvin49]

Yet he remains on the team. Hmmm

From what I've been reading it sounds like the 49ers were very surprised by the charges and it appears his lawyer was surprised as well as he wasn't made aware until the day the charges were announced.

The 49ers did their own investigation (and I have no idea what exactly that entails...interview with Reuben? The girlfriend? No idea) and they didn't expect anything close to what the charges were.

So...is the DA trying to make an example? Did Reuben lie to the team? Is his girlfriend trying to protect the meal ticket? I really have no idea...but that's why the 49ers haven't released him. Their account and the DAs account don't match and they are waiting to see what happens with the legal process.

 

[rlkats]

So the story I read said that he asked her to leave and threw her and her things out of his house when she refused to leave. Next he was arrested for owning a gun that is still legal by federal law? I’m glad I don’t live in San Francisco where I might get charged with assault for holding the door open for a woman.

If it was that simple we wouldn’t be discussing the morality of the judicial system or lack there of. He allegedly punched her in the head 8-10 times rupturing her ear drum.

None of which should be discussed here.

:2thumbs: Got it.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Yet he remains on the team. Hmmm

From what I've been reading it sounds like the 49ers were very surprised by the charges and it appears his lawyer was surprised as well as he wasn't made aware until the day the charges were announced.

The 49ers did their own investigation (and I have no idea what exactly that entails...interview with Reuben? The girlfriend? No idea) and they didn't expect anything close to what the charges were.

So...is the DA trying to make an example? Did Reuben lie to the team? Is his girlfriend trying to protect the meal ticket? I really have no idea...but that's why the 49ers haven't released him. Their account and the DAs account don't match and they are waiting to see what happens with the legal process.

So they are taking the same approach as they did with Aldon?

 

[Marvin49]

Yet he remains on the team. Hmmm

From what I've been reading it sounds like the 49ers were very surprised by the charges and it appears his lawyer was surprised as well as he wasn't made aware until the day the charges were announced.

The 49ers did their own investigation (and I have no idea what exactly that entails...interview with Reuben? The girlfriend? No idea) and they didn't expect anything close to what the charges were.

So...is the DA trying to make an example? Did Reuben lie to the team? Is his girlfriend trying to protect the meal ticket? I really have no idea...but that's why the 49ers haven't released him. Their account and the DAs account don't match and they are waiting to see what happens with the legal process.

So they are taking the same approach as they did with Aldon?

No.

No defense here of either Aldon or Reuben, but they are really totally different.

Reubens issue stems from his background and its a DV issue. Aldon is a substance abuse and addiction issue.

The 49ers tried as hard as they could to support Aldon and get him the help he needed, but it didn't matter. That dude is STILL an addict and his career is long over.

If you want a more direct comparison though I'd say Ray McDonald is much closer.

Bottom line though, whether its justified or not, the 49ers seem skeptical of the charges brought against Reuben last week. They are distancing themselves from him while the situation is worked out because...and lets be real for a moment....they don't want to release a player of his ability, have the legal process exonerate him, and then he's playing for another team because they acted without all the facts.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Yet he remains on the team. Hmmm

From what I've been reading it sounds like the 49ers were very surprised by the charges and it appears his lawyer was surprised as well as he wasn't made aware until the day the charges were announced.

The 49ers did their own investigation (and I have no idea what exactly that entails...interview with Reuben? The girlfriend? No idea) and they didn't expect anything close to what the charges were.

So...is the DA trying to make an example? Did Reuben lie to the team? Is his girlfriend trying to protect the meal ticket? I really have no idea...but that's why the 49ers haven't released him. Their account and the DAs account don't match and they are waiting to see what happens with the legal process.

So they are taking the same approach as they did with Aldon?

No.

No defense here of either Aldon or Reuben, but they are really totally different.

Reubens issue stems from his background and its a DV issue. Aldon is a substance abuse and addiction issue.

The 49ers tried as hard as they could to support Aldon and get him the help he needed, but it didn't matter. That dude is STILL an addict and his career is long over.

If you want a more direct comparison though I'd say Ray McDonald is much closer.

Bottom line though, whether its justified or not, the 49ers seem skeptical of the charges brought against Reuben last week. They are distancing themselves from him while the situation is worked out because...and lets be real for a moment....they don't want to release a player of his ability, have the legal process exonerate him, and then he's playing for another team because they acted without all the facts.

Thanks for an honest answer.

 

[Popeyejones]

The real difference between their handling of Reuben and their handling of Aldon and Ray McDonald is those guys kept practice and playing after being arrested; Aldon was on the field a day or two after ending up in the drunk tank.

They’re basically holding Reuban’s rights but he won’t be practicing or playing any time soon, if ever again.

I’d still prefer they had cut him, but part of what they’re doing is based on their experience with Brock last year, I think. They cut him immediately after he was arrested, but charges were dropped and he was never suspended by the NFL so he just skated off and signed with the Seahawks after the case was dismissed.