Lions running back Reggie Bush has firmly denied allegations that he was spiking women’s drinks in Las Vegas with accused rapist Darren Sharper. Now Bush is threatening legal action against the New Orleans Advocate if they don’t retract the story that helped bring these allegations to light.
The claims though against Bush stem from a co-defendant in the Sharper rape case, Brandon Licciardi who told investigators that he saw Bush putting ecstasy in champagne before giving it to women in a Vegas nightclub.
Via The Advocate:
“OK, um, I was in Vegas about three years ago and um, Reggie Bush put Molly in Champagne. He was handing out Molly on the dance floor to girls. Handing it out. Like giving it to them,” Licciardi said.
“And how do you know that?” asked James O’Hern, an investigator for the DA’s Office.
“ ’Cause I saw it with my own eyes,” Licciardi responded.
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Later in the interview, Licciardi backpedaled when asked again about the Las Vegas party.
“Reggie, yeah. No, I didn’t see him put it in the drink. He told me. And he said he was handing it to people, in Vegas,” Licciardi said, adding, “He asked me if I wanted some. And I was like, ‘I don’t do that stuff.’”
It was unclear from the interview whether Licciardi believed the women at the Las Vegas club were aware the drug was being dropped in their drinks.
Authorities have not accused Bush of drugging or raping anyone
I 100 percent intend to take legal action against The Advocate if they do not retract their LIE-FILLED article. Shame on you!
— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) February 7, 2015
Bush’s attorney Shawn Holley also weighed in on the matter with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:
“This is outrageous,” Bush’s attorney Shawn Holley told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I can say to you on the record that Reggie adamantly, vehemently and unequivocally denies all of the statements in that article. We are demanding a retraction from The Advocate and Reggie is considering taking legal action.”
“There is no investigation, there’s never been any complaint made by any person of this happening,” Holley said. “It appears to be something that’s being stated by someone who is a criminal defendant in a serious case and looking for anything he can say to deflect from his own troubles. But there is not a shred of truth to any of this.”
Licciardi’s statements certainly need to be taken with a huge dose of skepticism considering he first said he saw Bush put ‘molly’ in the drinks only to later recant saying Bush told him he did it. The Big Lead also mentions it may be tough for Bush to pursue legal action against The Advocate if they were only reprinting witness account.
At this point Bush hasn’t been charged with anything, nor has he or any of the other players mentioned in the earlier report had an investigation conducted against them.
h/t: The Big Lead, The Advocate, Detroit Free Press