Jury clears Knicks’ Rose, 2 friends in rape lawsuit
LOS ANGELES — NBA star Derrick Rose and two friends were cleared Wednesday in a $21.5 million lawsuit that accused them of gang raping his ex-girlfriend when she was incapacitated from drugs or alcohol in the summer of 2013.
Jurors in Los Angeles federal court reached the verdict in less than four hours after concluding there was a lack of evidence to support the woman’s claims and dismissing her account as unbelievable.
Rose, 28, remained stoic as the verdict was read and later thanked jurors and posed for photos with them in the lobby, draping his left arm around each one who wanted a souvenir of the Knicks point guard as one of his lawyers snapped photos on their phones.
“I am thankful that the jury understood and agreed with me,” Rose said in a statement. “This experience and my sensitivity to it was deep. I am ready to put this behind me and focus on my family and career.”
The accuser, who had become emotional and trembled at times while testifying, buried her head in her hands as the verdict was read, with her long hair covering her face.
She left the courthouse without commenting.
The defense portrayed Rose and his childhood pals, Ryan Allen and Randall Hampton, who both work for him, as victims in the case, and the lawyers mocked the woman’s lies and demeanor on the witness stand.
Los Angeles police have an open investigation into the woman’s claims.