Ex-NFL star Lawrence Taylor faces rape, prostitution charges

SUFFERN, N.Y. — Giants great Lawrence Taylor faces rape and prostitution charges after allegedly paying $300 to have sex with a 16-year-old runaway in a Rockland County hotel room early Thursday morning. The Hall of Fame linebacker was in a Ramapo Town courtroom Thursday and released on a bond after bail was set at $75,000 by Judge Arnold Edelson. He’s due back in court June 10.

Taylor was charged with third-degree rape, a Class E
felony that carries a maximum sentence of four years in jail, along
with patronizing a prostitute, a Class A misdemeanor punishable with up
to a year in jail.

Third-degree rape is defined as a person 21 years or
older having sex with someone younger than 17. Asked if Taylor knew the
age of the victim, Ramapo Chief of Police Peter Brower noted that “ignorance is not an excuse to an individual’s age.”

Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence said the girl was “delivered” to Taylor’s room at the Holiday Inn in Montebello by Rasheed Davis, a 36-year-old from the Bronx who was arrested by the New York Police Department.

Davis “punched and kicked” the girl when she resisted going to Ramapo for the encounter with Taylor, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said. After the girl and Davis returned to the Bronx, she contacted her uncle, who reported the incident to the NYPD. Officers interviewed the girl and alerted Ramapo police of the incident, Browne said.

Officers from Ramapo and the NYPD arrested Taylor at 3:54 a.m.

At the arraignment, Edelson read from the complaint and noted that Taylor admitted to detectives that he paid $300 for sex. Taylor’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, however, denied that speaking outside the Town Hall.

“My client did not have sex with anybody,” Aidala said. “No. Period. Amen. Is that enough?”

NYPD spokesman Browne said police don’t know if
Davis, who is on parole for a manslaughter conviction, forced the girl
to have sex with other men in the past. The girl was reported missing
in March.

Police found no evidence of drugs but did find a
bottle of alcohol when they entered Taylor’s room and woke him. They
said Taylor was cooperative and concerned about the victim’s physical
well-being. Aidala said he’s not even sure if Taylor knows her.

“Mr. Taylor is denying and preparing to fight each
and every one of these charges,” Aidala said. “At this point, you can
presume that every aspect of this case and these charges will be
litigated to the fullest extent of the law.”

Taylor, who was in the area to speak at a business conference Thursdaynight, will return to Florida, where he lives with his third wife, Lynette.

One of the greatest linebackers in NFL history and
widely considered the best player in Giants franchise history, Taylor
was a 10-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the
Year. He led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins and was named the NFL’s
MVP in 1986.

Off the field, Taylor has had well-publicized
struggles with drug addiction and was convicted of possessing drug
paraphernalia as recently as 2001. Lately, though, he has appeared to
straighten himself out. He has cited his interest in golf as keeping
him away from drugs, has begun an acting career, and appeared on
“Dancing With the Stars” last season.

Aidala noted that no drugs were found in the hotel room and no drug charges were made.

“Lawrence has asked me to shout from the highest mountains that they have here in Rockland County
that he has not touched any drugs in over a dozen years,” Aidala said.
“He is clean, clean, clean. That life is over. That’s the old Lawrence Taylor. This is the new Lawrence Taylor.”

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