Body language expert says...

[SteelerNation1]

Big Ben is telling the truth. Interesting article.
[url]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Body-language-expert-says-Roethlisberger-is-tell?urn=nfl,178490[/url]

Body language expert says Roethlisberger is telling the truth
By MJD

I was waiting for someone to do this. WPXI in Pittsburgh brought in a body language expert to analyze Ben Roethlisberger's demeanor as he issued a statement regarding the sexual assault allegations made against him.
If you put stock in such things, you may be interested in her take.

So she thinks Roethlisberger's telling the truth.
She also notes that the whole thing seems to be taking an enormous toll on Roethlisberger, which is to be expected, I guess. Without presuming anything about guilt or innocence, I can't imagine any human being having these accusations leveled against them and not being extremely concerned about it.
What that might mean for Roethlisberger as it relates to his performance as we approach training camp, I wouldn't want to speculate. It can't be good, though, can it? Obviously, this thing has a long way to go before it's played out, but the possibility that this will be an enormous distraction, I think, has to at least be acknowledged.

[SteelCrazy]

Re: Body language expert says...

Big Ben is telling the truth. Interesting article.
[url]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Body-language-expert-says-Roethlisberger-is-tell?urn=nfl,178490[/url]

Body language expert says Roethlisberger is telling the truth
By MJD

I was waiting for someone to do this. WPXI in Pittsburgh brought in a body language expert to analyze Ben Roethlisberger's demeanor as he issued a statement regarding the sexual assault allegations made against him.
If you put stock in such things, you may be interested in her take.

So she thinks Roethlisberger's telling the truth.
She also notes that the whole thing seems to be taking an enormous toll on Roethlisberger, which is to be expected, I guess. Without presuming anything about guilt or innocence, I can't imagine any human being having these accusations leveled against them and not being extremely concerned about it.
What that might mean for Roethlisberger as it relates to his performance as we approach training camp, I wouldn't want to speculate. It can't be good, though, can it? Obviously, this thing has a long way to go before it's played out, but the possibility that this will be an enormous distraction, I think, has to at least be acknowledged.

This is what I am afraid of....very well could be a very long season...........

[frankthetank1]

Re: Body language expert says...

Big Ben is telling the truth. Interesting article.
[url]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Body-language-expert-says-Roethlisberger-is-tell?urn=nfl,178490[/url]

Body language expert says Roethlisberger is telling the truth
By MJD

I was waiting for someone to do this. WPXI in Pittsburgh brought in a body language expert to analyze Ben Roethlisberger's demeanor as he issued a statement regarding the sexual assault allegations made against him.
If you put stock in such things, you may be interested in her take.

So she thinks Roethlisberger's telling the truth.
She also notes that the whole thing seems to be taking an enormous toll on Roethlisberger, which is to be expected, I guess. Without presuming anything about guilt or innocence, I can't imagine any human being having these accusations leveled against them and not being extremely concerned about it.
What that might mean for Roethlisberger as it relates to his performance as we approach training camp, I wouldn't want to speculate. It can't be good, though, can it? Obviously, this thing has a long way to go before it's played out, but the possibility that this will be an enormous distraction, I think, has to at least be acknowledged.

This is what I am afraid of....very well could be a very long season...........

it could be a huge distraction and be detrimental, but i tend to think if anything this is a great situation. a season after winning the sb this kind of thing will humble you fast and they can take this situation and turn it into us versus the world. players such as the caliber of ben and hines play better when they have something to prove and with a chip on their shoulder. one thing is for certain i have more faith in tomlin than i would cowher in this situation.

[Wolfhound45]

Re: Body language expert says...

If there is anything positive this can do, it will give BB more focus. I understand he is a young, single man. However, this will probably drive home the point that he needs to grow up and cut back on the night life. One night stands (hopefully) are a thing of the past.

[Ozey74]

Re: Body language expert says...

This whole thing is like a bad dream that I can't seem to wake up from. If we were to repeat this year, Roethlisberger would prove that he has ice water in his veins and steel balls.

If anybody can perform with this kind of heat, it's Roethlisberger.

[stlrz d]

Re: Body language expert says...

[youtube:qfnq848d]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9uWuNHUQwsI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9uWuNHUQwsI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/youtube:qfnq848d]

[NorthCoast]

Re: Body language expert says...

Ben needs to give Bettis a call for advice on how to handle himself. Granted a case against a Superbowl QB is higher profile than Bettis' case, but the similarities are there. Bettis seems to have gotten through it just fine.

[SidSmythe]

Re: Body language expert says...

After all is said and done, i hope he counter sues her and turns her into a bulemic nut case!!!!!!!!

[Jooser]

Re: Body language expert says...

More character assassination from Florio....

Body language expert thinks Roethlisberger is telling the truth
Posted by Mike Florio on July 24, 2009 11:58 PM ET

The folks at WPXI, the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, brought in a "body language expert" to analyze the video of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's statement denying the civil-suit allegations of sexual assault made against him in Nevada.

The "body language expert" is Sally Chopping, a former actress and public speaking coach.

Here's the video of the segment from WPXI, which previously was posted by MJD of Yahoo! Sports.


Some of what Ms. Chopping says is persuasive -- the shaking of the head as Roethlisberger says that he'd never force himself on a woman, for example, seems to express true conviction on his part. But she sort of contradicts herself later in the segment, conceding that Roethlisberger seems to lack confidence.

Either way, we hope that WPXI doesn't call her when it's looking for an expert in standup comedy.

He posted two vids in this post [url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/07/24/body-language-expert-thinks-roethlisberger-is-telling-the-truth/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... the-truth/[/url] (you can watch them if you want to) but he basically is attacking this woman's credibility and then posts a youtube video of her speaking at what appears to be a senior citizens living facility. This ass is doing his best to convict Ben in the court of public opinion, and he attacks anyone who stands in his way. What a tool.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Body language expert says...

More character assassination from Florio....

Body language expert thinks Roethlisberger is telling the truth
Posted by Mike Florio on July 24, 2009 11:58 PM ET

The folks at WPXI, the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, brought in a "body language expert" to analyze the video of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's statement denying the civil-suit allegations of sexual assault made against him in Nevada.

The "body language expert" is Sally Chopping, a former actress and public speaking coach.

Here's the video of the segment from WPXI, which previously was posted by MJD of Yahoo! Sports.


Some of what Ms. Chopping says is persuasive -- the shaking of the head as Roethlisberger says that he'd never force himself on a woman, for example, seems to express true conviction on his part. But she sort of contradicts herself later in the segment, conceding that Roethlisberger seems to lack confidence.

Either way, we hope that WPXI doesn't call her when it's looking for an expert in standup comedy.

He posted two vids in this post [url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/07/24/body-language-expert-thinks-roethlisberger-is-telling-the-truth/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... the-truth/[/url] (you can watch them if you want to) but he basically is attacking this woman's credibility and then posts a youtube video of her speaking at what appears to be a senior citizens living facility. This bad word is doing his best to convict Ben in the court of public opinion, and he attacks anyone who stands in his way. What a tool.

Florio is a lawyer. Once a lawyer, always a lawyer (even if all he does now is spew football rumors over the interwebz). No offense to our resident legal expert, phillyesq, of course.

[Jooser]

Re: Body language expert says...

Lawyers find credibility vital in sexual assault cases
Saturday, July 25, 2009
By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

She says he lured her into his hotel room and forced himself on her.

He says he would never force himself on any woman.

Lawyers say in cases where it's one person's word against another's, it's a battle for credibility, with the onus typically on the accuser.

So in the case of a Nevada hotel employee accusing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the questions will be:

Why didn't the alleged victim go to the police?

Who else did she tell?

What is her past history?

How did she end up in his room?

Who is most believable?

For the plaintiff, the burden is huge.

"She's going to be the one who carries the day," said Michael O'Day, a former assistant district attorney turned defense lawyer, who's tried many of these cases. "It all comes down to credibility."

The question that has lingered in the thoughts of Pittsburghers and talk-show hosts for days is why the woman never sought out law enforcement to report that she was sexually assaulted.

According to the lawsuit, she reported the alleged assault to the chief of hotel security the next day.

But she still has never gone to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to file a complaint.

"She should have been advised immediately by a lawyer to get to the prosecutor's office," Mr. O'Day said. "The lapse of time calls into question credibility and her motives, especially."

Defense attorney Caroline Roberto agrees not having a police complaint could be detrimental to the woman's claims, but she believes the man representing her, Calvin Dunlap, knows what he's doing.

"He's a former district attorney. He has intimate knowledge of that office and those investigators," she said. "He must have thought that if she waited eight months, they're not going to take the allegations seriously."

And having a bad result from a criminal case -- or no charges brought at all -- could make a civil claim that much harder to win, said Denver attorney John Clune, who represented the woman who accused basketball star Kobe Bryant of sexual assault.

But more than that, it's possible the woman chose not to go to law enforcement because she feared the loss of control that can come with a criminal investigation.

"While law enforcement and prosecutors have great concern for victims, they have a larger obligation to the community to make sure sex offenders are prosecuted," Mr. Clune said.

In a civil setting, the plaintiff's attorney is an advocate, working strictly for the victim.

Lisae C. Jordan, the director of the Sexual Assault Legal Institute in Maryland, doesn't think a victim's choice to not go to police is indicative of how strong her civil case might be.

"There are many much easier ways to make money than putting yourself through a civil trial and falsely accusing someone of a violent crime," she said.

Regardless of the woman's reasons for choosing not to go to police, all of the attorneys agree it will be a stumbling block for whomever might decide the case -- either a judge or jury.

"It's unfortunate because the reality is most sexual assault victims do not report to the police," Mr. Clune said.

But, he continued, "More often than not, it's very explainable in the victim's own words, why they didn't go to the police."

Mr. O'Day, who said these types of cases are not easy to prove, agreed that a believable witness can sway even the most cynical jurors.

"When the person comes into court, and they take the stand, and they look like they're telling the truth, it can be the end for the jury," he said.

When talking about credibility, Mr. O'Day said that the defense will focus on the woman's story and try to find even the smallest inconsistencies.

He would track down anyone that she confided in and compare what they were told.

More than that, the alleged victim must also be prepared to have her entire history -- both sexual and psychological -- torn apart.

"He can bring up almost everything he can to show her character or ability to tell the truth," Mr. O'Day said. "In the civil realm, you don't have rape shield laws."

The alleged victim likely won't have the same opportunity to turn the tables on Mr. Roethlisberger for any prior bad acts, unless there is a criminal conviction out there.

Another significant question for the case, Ms. Roberto said, is how the woman allegedly ended up in Mr. Roethlisberger's room.

According to the lawsuit, he complained that the sound system on the television in his room wasn't working properly, and he asked her to fix it.

"If she can corroborate why she went to the room, that would be helpful to her," Ms. Roberto said.

Otherwise, that question, too, will turn on credibility.

On that count, Mr. Roethlisberger has an automatic edge.

"Most sexual assault victims feel like no one's going to believe them in the first place," Mr. Clune said. "When you talk about someone who's a star athlete, that's got to be all the more intensified."

Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09206/986387-66.stm#ixzz0MHyhAdHu"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09206/98 ... z0MHyhAdHu[/url]

[MicroBioSteel]

Re: Body language expert says...

Hate to rain on everyone's parade but that woman is not a "body language expert". She's a public speaking coach that WPXI pulled out of nowhere and slapped the expert label on. I would like to see someone with a police or military background in interrogation dissect the video. I am not an expert but his body language (i.e lack of eye contact) when he says he has never forced himself on any woman is a red flag for me. I would not be suprised if you see other women come out of the woodwork because of this case.

Just my gut feeling...could be wrong.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Body language expert says...

Hate to rain on everyone's parade but that woman is not a "body language expert". She's a public speaking coach that WPXI pulled out of nowhere and slapped the expert label on. I would like to see someone with a police or military background in interrogation dissect the video. I am not an expert but his body language (i.e lack of eye contact) when he says he has never forced himself on any woman is a red flag for me. I would not be suprised if you see other women come out of the woodwork because of this case.

Just my gut feeling...could be wrong.

Other women come out of the woodwork?!?! Because he doesn't make eye contact with a d@mn videocamera when reading his prepared statement brings you to the conclusion that he is possibly a serial rapist???

[Ozey74]

Re: Body language expert says...

Hate to rain on everyone's parade but that woman is not a "body language expert". She's a public speaking coach that WPXI pulled out of nowhere and slapped the expert label on. I would like to see someone with a police or military background in interrogation dissect the video. I am not an expert but his body language (i.e lack of eye contact) when he says he has never forced himself on any woman is a red flag for me. I would not be suprised if you see other women come out of the woodwork because of this case.

Just my gut feeling...could be wrong.

Other women come out of the woodwork?!?! Because he doesn't make eye contact with a d@mn videocamera when reading his prepared statement brings you to the conclusion that he is possibly a serial rapist???

[Scarletfire1970]

Re: Body language expert says...

It does change things knowing she isnt an expert and this was a Pittsburgh NBC affiliate who hired her.