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Thursday, February 13, 1997

Erik Williams sues Dallas police, TV station

By JAIME ARON / AP Sports Writer (Feb. 12, 1997)

Williams sues city, police, TV station over false rape allegation

By JAIME ARON

Associated Press

DALLAS - Erik Williams, falsely named with Dallas Cowboys teammate Michael Irvin in a rape case, accused police of violating his civil rights in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday.

Williams, a Pro Bowl offensive lineman, also sued the TV station that first reported the story and one of its reporters for defaming him.

The lawsuit accuses police of wrongly naming Williams in public statements and of giving credibility to his accuser although they had reason to doubt her.

Lin Television Corp., the parent company of Dallas-Fort Worth station KXAS, and reporter Marty Griffin were named in the other lawsuit, a state case that alleges defamation, negligence, fraud, invasion of privacy and trespassing.

Williams' lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, said both cases center on his contention that police and KXAS disregarded due process and ethics because the accused men were famous.

"They stand for the principle that people who hold positions of public trust have to respect the rights of everybody - whether the person is black or white, rich or poor, successful or not successful," Ginsberg said.

"The police have an obligation to respect everyone's constitutional rights and when the press decides to focus attention on somebody, they have to do it fairly and honestly."

Lawyers for the city and KXAS denied the allegations.

"The allegations, you've got to prove them and you've got to convince a judge that there's merit to the claims," KXAS lawyer Chip Babcock said.

Both lawsuits seek unspecified damages. Ginsberg said Williams would donate any money he wins to charity.

Irvin, who couldn't be reached Wednesday, isn't part of the lawsuits, although he could be added.

On Dec. 30, former topless dancer Nina Shahravan told police she had been raped the night before by Williams and another man at Williams' home north of Dallas. Irvin, she said, pointed a gun at her and videotaped the attack.

Griffin named Williams the next morning in a special report, and police called a news conference an hour later that was broadcast live across North Texas on television and radio.

No charges were filed and the players maintained their innocence. The investigation ended Jan. 10, when Shahravan signed a confession saying she made it all up.

Shahravan, 23, has been charged with perjury and is free on bond pending her trial. Ginsberg said Williams will await the outcome of that case before deciding whether to sue her.