News: BTB: Ezekiel Elliott’s appeal will center on accuser’s words and testimony

[NewsBot]

The latest on Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension.

The Fort-Worth Star Telegram has detailed the arguments Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will use in his defense during his appeal of the six-game suspension. In an article by Clarence E. Hill, Jr., Elliott’s legal team will use the accuser's alleged statements and texts as evidence.

Elliott’s appeal game plan includes highlighting [the accuser’s] already chronicled text messages encouraging a friend to lie to police about an alleged domestic assault on July 22, misleading testimony to NFL lead investigator Lisa Friel, and repeated threats to ruin his career after breaking off the relationship, per documents obtained by the Star-Telegram.
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Some of the details include:

▪ After being told Elliott didn’t want her at his house on July 21 and he didn’t want her coming out with him, [the accuser] responded with: “Ok this is what you want? Ok then, I’m going to ruin your life. You will see. If I was you, I wouldn’t go out tonight.”

▪ After being told she couldn’t come Elliott’s 21st birthday party, [the accuser] told him “that’s worst decision you made in your life. I’m going to ruin you life now.”

▪ The report also details a text message in which [the accuser] told Elliott: “You better be smart. And not be a dumb man. B----, keep (messing) with the wrong, b----.”

▪ After not being allowed into the after party, [the accuser] was heard yelling and screaming that “your career is over” and then proceeded to call the police.

▪ Elliott is also “100 percent certain” that [the accuser] told him on July 22, “You are a black male athlete. I’m a white girl. They are not going to believe you.”

Per the documents, Friel was unable to give an clear endorsement of [the accuser’s] credibility because she repeatedly misled investigators.
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Hill’s article goes on to say that these alleged communications took place on July 22nd, the day the accuser notified police of her complaints. The NFL has based its findings on alleged incidents that occurred earlier in the week on three occasions.

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