May 13, 2016

Rockies SS Jose Reyes receives 52-game suspension for domestic violence incident: Reyes was arrested in Maui, Hawaii for an incident that occurred in October of last year. His wife told police that he pulled her off of a hotel bed, grabbed her by the throat, and slammed her into a sliding glass door, after which she was treated at a local hospital. However, criminal charges were dropped after she refused to testify against him.

posted by Ufez Jones to baseball at 07:00 PM - 5 comments

Allegations are exactly what the word means "allegations", if the courts are unwilling to press charges why should the govern bodies of sports be allowed to discipline athletes on allegations. Look at Kurt Busch who had to set out races because a bat crap crazy ex-girlfriend made "allegations" against him after she vowed to ruin his life. Innocent until proven guilty is thrown out the window in these cases and when these athletes are proven innocent or charges are dropped they didn't get the time or money back. As a victim of false "allegations" from a vengeful ex-wife I know of what I speak. I'm glad I wasn't fired before the truth came out. Everyone is entitled to due process.

posted by ic23b at 06:03 PM on May 14, 2016

"after which she was treated at a local hospital"

posted by Etrigan at 06:47 PM on May 14, 2016

"after which she was treated at a local hospital"

My ex was treated at a local hospital even though she was never touched, don't have to be any bruises or signs of any injuries to be treated. Fake a wrenched neck or hurt back and doctors cannot prove if they are faking or really hurt.

My point was that punishment should not be implemented until the "allegations" are proved true because if the allegations are proved false it's hard to undo the punishment.

posted by ic23b at 09:02 PM on May 14, 2016

Four Seasons hotel staff told 911 that she was visibly injured. This isn't a he-said/she-said

posted by mikemacman at 11:40 PM on May 14, 2016

The hotel called 911 because her injuries needed treatment. During the call they told the dispatcher it looked like she'd been hit. That she eventually refused to testify is not an indication that nothing happened or that she made it all up. It is, in fact, prosecutors are frequently frustrated by such refusals. In some cases the evidence is clear enough that they can proceed without the victim's testimony.

In this case they clearly could not. But Reyes' employer could, after examining the public record and the results of their own investigation, punish him not for giving his wife a black eye, but for giving one to the Rockies and MLB.

That you see yourself as a victim of a vengeful ex-wife has no bearing whatsoever on the Reyes case. In fact, the comparison sounds like apples and oranges. Katherine Reyes refused to testify against her husband after treatment at a hospital, while the person in your story apparently faked injuries in order to gain an edge in divorce proceedings.

Having personal involvement in a vaguely similar situation probably makes your judgment of the Reyes story more heartfelt, but less reliable.

posted by Hugh Janus at 11:59 PM on May 14, 2016

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