Former Giants great Lawrence Taylor was arrested last night and charged with third-degree rape for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl. Taylor, a Florida resident who also has a home in NJ and plays golf in Rockland County, is currently in the custody of Ramapo police. The Journal News reports that the teen is "apparently... a runaway from New York City controlled by a pimp... The victim was reportedly beaten during the attack. She was questioned by the New York Police Department in the Bronx, where a man identified as a pimp drove her and was arrested, authorities said."
The police were called by the teen's uncle—when the pimp drove her back to the city, she managed to text her relative. The Post reports, "Taylor was arrested about six miles away from the town of Spring Valley, a locale he used to frequent in the mid-1990s after his retirement from the Giants when he was in the thrall of a serious addiction to cocaine and a penchant for prostitutes."
Taylor's lawyer, former Rockland County District Attorney Kenneth Gribetz, told WCBS 2 that the 51-year-old Hall of Famer would plead not guilty, "We spoke to Mr. Taylor and we're convinced that he will be ultimately exonerated of these charges. He's upset. He's obviously detained, he's upset and he wants to prove his innocence and be exonerated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible." Taylor's third wife Lynette believes he was set up: "TMZ just spoke with Lynette Taylor -- LT's 3rd wife -- who tells us the allegations are "all bullsh*t. As for why she suspects a setup, Lynette claims that the timing of the arrest is suspicious because it came just days after LT was featured on an A&E documentary called 'Fame and Recovery' which she believes 'made him out to be a monster.'"
Last fall, Taylor was arrested in Florida for leaving the scene of an accident.
