Andray Blatche tweeted that he didn't do anything. (Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports)Andray Blatche has been questioned by Philadelphia police as part of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a Philadelphia hotel early Tuesday morning. After questioning, the Brooklyn Nets forward/center was released and will not be charged with any wrongdoing, police said.
On Tuesday morning, CBS Philadelphia reported that "a member of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team and his associates" had been questioned in connection with a complaint filed by a 21-year-old female who said she had been sexually assaulted at about 4 a.m. Tuesday inside the Four Seasons Hotel, where the Nets stayed ahead of their Tuesday night matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers:
The female complainant was taken to an area hospital for an examination. Investigators are waiting to further question the woman before any decision will be made on potential charges. As of right now, no charges have been filed.
Sources say the unnamed player and his associates were taken to the Special Victims Unit for questioning.
Shortly thereafter, NBC Philadelphia reported that police had said the unnamed player "was in the hotel suite at the time of the alleged incident but was not in the bedroom where it may have occurred," and that the player and two other men, ages 41 and 25, had been taken into custody for questioning.
The Philadelphia Daily News reported that a Nets player was "among those police have questioned, but a police source said he appears to be a potential witness and not a suspect."
After the local news networks broke the story, Nets general manager Billy King issued a brief statement, shared by Tom Lorenzo of NetsDaily:
We are aware of the ongoing police investigation regarding a member of the Brooklyn Nets. We will have no further comment until the investigation has concluded. All of our players are available for tonight's game.
Despite the no-comment, local television reporters dug for additional details at the Nets' morning shootaround, pressing Brooklyn players like point guard Deron Williams, according to Newsday's Rod Boone:
TV reporter to Deron: "You don't want to talk about what happened last night?" Him: "I don't know much of anything that happened last night"
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) January 8, 2013
Same TV reporter: "Deron, how did the Philadelphia police treat you?" Radio silence. Then Deron's response with a smile: "You're a tool."
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) January 8, 2013
After shootaround, Nets beat writer Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News cited a source who told him that Blatche was the Net questioned. Just two minutes prior, Blatche had posted the following tweet, appearing to out himself:
Im ok and I didn't do anything jus was n the area when it happened
— andray blatche (@drayblatche) January 8, 2013
Blatche has since deleted that tweet. Twenty-five minutes after his initial tweet, he wrote that he's "Gettin ready for the game."
Shortly before 2 p.m. ET, Beck passed along reporting from New York Times police bureau chief Wendy Ruderman — who joined the paper from the Philadelphia Daily News back in May — confirming that Blatche has been neither accused nor charged with anything, according to Philadelphia's police commissioner:
Andray Blatche was questioned by Philly police, but he is not accused of any wrongdoing, official tells my colleague @wendyruderman
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) January 8, 2013
From commissioner Charles Ramsey: "From all accounts, he (Blatche) was not personally involved in any kind of assault or anything like that" — Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) January 8, 2013
Blatche was questioned and released and will not be charged.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) January 8, 2013
We'll have more on this story as warranted.
