SAN DIEGO — Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza says he plans to sue the attorney who accused him of being involved in an alleged gang rape of a teenage girl during a college party.
Araiza was featured Tuesday on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel in a sit down interview with Andrea Kremer to discuss the lawsuit and the allegations made against him that may have ended his career as an NFL player.
A lawsuit filed in San Diego County Superior Court last year accused Araiza and two teammates of raping a then-17-year-old girl at a Halloween party at an off-campus home where Araiza had been living.
Shortly after the allegations surfaced, the Buffalo Bills released the punter last summer.
The San Diego District Attorney's office completed its investigation in December, stating they reviewed the San Diego Police Department's investigation and had no recommendation by the police department to file criminal charges.
Over 35 taped witness interviews were analyzed by sexual assault experts, as well as prosecutors and investigators. DNA results, evidence, Sexual Assault Response Team exam, forensic evidence from cell phones, and video evidence of the incident were reviewed.
Prosecutors says they determined the evidence does not support filing criminal charges because there is "no path to a potential criminal conviction."
When asked if he ever took the girl into the house, Araiza told Krrmer, "No, absolutely not." Araiza also denied throwing the girl on the bed, as alleged in the complaint, and says he did not participate in a gang rape.
When asked by Kremer what Araiza thought when he first read "gang rape" in the complaint, he said he was shocked.
"Shock. I just didn't see how people could do this. To make a lie like that about someone's life, knowing implications of it. I was in shock. And seeing everyone in the world believe it, and knowing they completely got misled," Araiza said in the program.
Araiza said in the interview that he was judged by the court of public opinion. "No chance to defend myself. No waiting for police to back any of these statements, not waiting for the trial for anything to be proven in court. There was a feeling that society was sure about this. They were 100% sure," he said.
In the interview, Araiza details a consensual sexual encounter with the girl outside the house. He said the girl initiated the contact between the two of them, that she came up to him and said she made her intentions clear.
The attorney of the girl who made the allegations was also interviewed in the story and says they plan to continue the civil case against Araiza.
Araiza continues to maintain his innocence and says he will not settle, and plans to sue the attorney, Dan Gilleon, for defamation.
Araiza visited the New York Jets in May for a workout, but at this time, he is still not signed by an NFL team.
RELATED STORY: