Ben Rothlisberger's civil sexual assalt case stays in Reno

Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was denied a change of venues in the civil lawsuit case of sexual assault that was filed against and him and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe executive, Dave Monroe by Andrea McNutly an employee at Harrah’s. According to an Associated Press report, Washoe District Judge Brent Adams in Reno denied a request for a change of venue to Douglas County stating that Monroe has residences in both counties; therefore Reno was a proper venue. Adams, “There’s no reason to believe an impartial jury cannot be found in Washoe County, or that the interest of justice would be prompted by change of venue.” The suit also alleges eight former or current Harrah's employees orchestrated a cover-up of the incident, including Monroe. Harrah’s President John Koster and security Chief Guy Hyder, are also named as accomplices who sought to cover up the incident. In an article in People Magazine, Roethlisberger’s lawyer David Cornwell said that the charges by Andrea McNulty are false. "Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone, especially Andrea McNulty." Cornwell continued with, "The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct. If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully and Ben will be fully exonerated.” The civil suit by McNulty suit seeks a minimum of $440,000 in damages from Ben and $50,000 from Harrah’s Monroe and an unspecified amount of punitive damages. Defense lawyers for seven of Harrah’s employees have brought out e-mails, allegedly sent from McNulty to Hyder portraying her as fantasizing about moving to Pittsburgh and having Roethlisberger’s baby. Since the suit took a year to be filed, defense attorneys for Harrah’s are painting a picture for the courts of the “vengeance of a woman scorned.”