After months of the trial process and media coverage surrounding the case, a federal jury reached their verdict in the Derrick Rose and two friends civil lawsuit. The eight members of the Los Angeles jury found the defendants not liable after being accused of gang-raping D. Rose’s ex-girlfriend when she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The incident occurred back in August 2013 when all three men were at the girlfriend’s apartment partying. None of them ever denied having sex with her, but the case came down to whether or not the jury believed she was too intoxicated to consent to sex.
It was a he-said, she-said trial where the defendants were painted as ‘sexual deviants’ and the woman was accused of being a liar, angry over the breakup and wanting to cash in. The woman was seeking about $21.5 million in damages in the lawsuit.
A lot was at stake for Rose, who could have lost his Adidas contract due to a morals clause in his contract, ruining him financially for not only himself but his family.
“I am thankful that the jury understood and agreed with me. This experience and my sensitivity to it was deep. I am ready to put this behind me and focus on my family and career.” – Derrick Rose
Following the trial (which caused him to miss multiple practices and pre-season games for the New York Knicks), Rose now hopes to return to the team on Friday and get some work in before the season begins for them next Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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