Report: Reggie Bush implicated for spiking drinks by Darren Sharper codefendent
The rape trial of former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper has taken a strange turn.
A former sheriff’s deputy in Louisiana, who has been charged (along with Sharper) with helping to drug women in order to rape them, told investigators he witnessed former Saints and current Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush drop the party drug ecstasy into women’s drinks at a Las Vegas club a few years ago, according to a published report.
According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, Brandon Licciardi, the codefendent in the Sharper case, told authorities about seeing Bush doing this when Licciardi was interviewed last year by the Orleans Parish (La.) District Attorney. At the time, Licciardi was being questioned about two incidents in which Sharper allegedly was involved in rapes.
According to the federal indictment, Licciardi is named as a conspirator to Sharper in assisting with the rape. Asked if he had seen other women being drugged, Licciardi spilled on Bush’s involvement.
“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.
“[Because] I saw it with my own eyes,” Licciardi responded.
Ecstasy, or MDMA, is commonly called “Molly.” Licciardi believed that the incident in question involving Bush occured in the spring of 2011. In July of that year, the Saints traded Bush to the Miami Dolphins.
Bush has not been charged with anything by authorities, and he strongly denied any involvement through his Bush’s California-based attorney, Shawn Holley, to the Detroit Free Press.
“This is outrageous,” Holley said. “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.”
Holley questioned the credibility of the defendent, Licciardi, to the Free Press.
“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.”
Asked again later in court about Bush’s involvement, Licciardi started to backpedal a bit.
“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.’ ”
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
