New England Patriots' Randy Moss Hit With Restraining Order

This just in from Ned Holstein, of the Fathers and Families Blog, and as reported just several hours ago by various news sources in Florida: Randy Moss, our star wide receiver on the New England Patriots, has just been hit with a restraining order by a Florida woman: Fathers & Families Blog: New England Patriots’ Super Bowl Chances Imperiled by Restraining Order.

Ned Holstein, the tireless advocate for fathers' rights both here in Massachusetts and elsewhere, expresses an understandable skepticism regarding the claims, based on his knowledge that restraining orders are often fraudulently brought. Holstein recognizes that the allegations might be true as well, but puts the odds that they are true at 50-50. I wouldn't dare speculate without knowing the facts, which we can never expect to know just from the media's reports of what he said and what she said.

Certainly, as we might expect, Randy Moss himself has already proclaimed that these allegations are just an attempt at extortion, but then says he wishes no harm for his accuser, a woman whom he has known for 11 years.

"I don't wish anything bad on this woman. That's the love I have for her as a friend," he is quoted as saying in Canada's National Post. "Even though these allegations are false, or whatever she is claiming, I really can't be mad at that. If she's hurting and she needs money, that's on her."

But if this woman has really brought a false claim against him and is shaking him down for money, as he claims, why does he sound like he wants to placate her? Shouldn't he be really angry with her? I wonder.

Sports stars, like other celebrities, probably have more than the average temptations to stray and misbehave, but on the other hand, they are also much more likely to be victimized by greedy opportunists.

Maybe we will eventually know the truth about this. But more likely, as in many cases involving accusations of domestic violence, the case will be settled, dropped, or will otherwise "go away" and we will never get the real story. Only the two people involved will know.

See my law firm website for information about Massachusetts criminal law, and for the Massachusetts restraining order law. (Of course, where Randy Moss is concerned, it is Florida law, not Massachusetts law, that applies.)