Mark Lepselter Believes LT Was Treated Fairly And Hopes His Client Can Put This Behind Him And Start Doing Something Productive

Mark Lepselter Believes LT Was Treated Fairly And Hopes His Client Can Put This Behind Him And Start Doing Something Productive
by Steven Cuce

Lawrence Taylor was once known as a fearsome linebacker of the New York Giants during the 1980′s that played with no fear as he pummeled opposing offenses. Taylor had battled drug addiction issues and had multiple run-ins with the police over time. Last May, Lawrence Taylor’s world was turned upside down when he was arrested on allegations of raping a 16-year girl who he thought was 19 in a New York City suburb. The Hall of Fame linebacker had shocked the football world because most people thought he may have turned a corner in his life, moving past drug abuse and this one came completely out of the blue.

The legal process has taken its course as Taylor was sentenced to six years of probation by pleading guilty in January to sexual misconduct and patronizing charges on a 16-year old prostitute. Even though this is another dark moment in LT’s life he is making no apologies about the situation. He claims he is not sorry for visiting the prostitute because he didn’t know she was underage. In his first interview since being accused of raping a 16-year old girl LT spoke with Fox News on “Studio B with Shepard Smith.” Mark Lepselter is Taylor’s agent and he weighed in on his take of LT’s trial process and aftermath.

Mark Lepselter joined WQAM in Miami with Sid Rosenberg to discuss if it was a good decision for Lawrence Taylor to go on with Shepard Smith for an interview recently, based upon the evidence of the case against Lawrence Taylor did the judge treat LT fairly, does he agree the girl of this case was a victim, did LT really know how old this girl was, was there money to be made on LT and is that why this girl pursued the case and what happens next for Lawrence Taylor.

I’m not sure if it was a good decision for LT to go on with Studio B with Shepard Smith yesterday?

“I’m never one to pass the buck. I will say that I wholeheartedly agree there were some things internally that should not have happened. I’ll leave it at that. I don’t disagree.”

Based upon the evidence and this case do you think the judge treated LT fairly?

“I think the judge and the Rockland County Prosecutors Office both treated Lawrence fairly. It had nothing to do and I think quite the contrary that if he was Lawrence Smith or Lawrence Jones it would not have been as high as…needless to say as high profile of a situation. You could make the argument maybe not as big of a legal dynamic. I promise you Gloria Allred would not have been there yesterday if it was Lawrence Smith or Lawrence Jones and there were no television cameras around.”

Do you agree the girl of this case was a victim?

“Sid [Rosenberg] I agree with you on that. All I will say what…I don’t want to get into it…what is a sixteen year old girl doing living in Rasheed Davis’ house. The family has an obligation to take of an underaged minor and I’ll leave it at that. Everybody is accountable and somewhat guilty parties in this whole mess. Again a sixteen year old girl not living in her home? What did her family think she was doing? Working at the Four Seasons?

Did Lawrence Taylor know how old the girl was? Your convinced he didn’t know the girls age?

“He thought she was 19 years old. Correct [that is what the girl told Lawrence Taylor]. She’s admitted that. She also said the story changed yesterday when Gloria [Allred] swooped in that you know he may have seen that she had been hit. You know there were a lot of facts that changed yesterday coincidentally, which smells like to me a potential civil suit would be the reason why those facts would change.”

Was there money out there to be made? Is that why this girl pursued to go after LT? Things all of sudden got worse for her as time went on? Is that accurate?

“That is completely accurate. Let me also say that when it happened Arthur [Aidala] and the Rockland Country Prosecution Office went to great lengths to protect her identity. Another falsehood that was out there in the past 24 hours is that she’s not kept abreast by the prosecutors office as to the plea agreement. That is factually incorrect. In fact I am told she signed off on the plea agreement and also said as far back in May that Lawrence was a gentleman and never put her in any coercive situation, etc and etc. Now all of a sudden she feels that he was treated leniently. We know what’s going on here Sid. We don’t need to waste our time trying to explain it.”

What happens with Lawrence now? What can he do now? What’s his situation?

“Well listen, it’s like anyone who goes through a legal process you want to put it behind you and you want to be able to move forward with your life in whatever capacity the legal system will allow you to do so. That being said, it’s a tough situation for Lawrence. Business has not been booming. We’re hoping he can get to a certain level here having this behind him and than start to do some constructive and productive things to make him some money.”