Written by Stefan Bondy at New York Daily News
There may be more than money at stake for Derrick Rose, who Monday professed his innocence after learning he’s the subject of a criminal rape investigation.
Rose’s first Media Day with the Knicks — and his anxious 15 minutes on the podium — arrived just a few hours after a letter surfaced from the LAPD confirming the police are now looking into allegations levied by the “Jane Doe” accuser.
Rose is also scheduled to go to trial for a $21.5 million civil suit on Oct. 4.
“As far as the trial that’s something I can’t think about because it’s not true,” Rose said. “I will be proven innocent.”
The letter, written by LAPD detective Nadine Hernandez, noted that the alleged victim “exercised her right to confidentiality” when filing a criminal report. The letter and the detective’s testimony will be used by the plaintiff to persuade the civil case judge to change his ruling allowing Jane Doe’s identity to be revealed.
Rose, who allegedly gang raped the 30-year-old “Jane Doe” with his two friends over three years ago, said he hasn’t been contacted by the police.
“This is my first time hearing about (a criminal investigation),” Rose said. “Once again, I’m not worried about it, feel like I haven’t done anything wrong.”
A police investigation gives the plaintiff leverage in a potential settlement, which is Jane Doe’s preference because she doesn’t want to risk her identity being revealed in a trial, she told the Daily News. But if the trial begins next week in L.A., Rose will likely miss multiple preseason games and practices with the Knicks.
Rose said he has left all the legal decisions to his lawyers.
“All these legal terms, this is my first time ever being in the system or learning the system. So trials and all that, I hear about it. They tell me what, when I’m (scheduled to do stuff), but my concern is just playing well this year,” he said. “I can’t think about a case that I feel like I’m innocent in. I feel like I didn’t do anything wrong. I can’t let that distract me the year that with the year that I have ahead of me.”
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