Email from Tim DiPiero, agent for Randy Moss to Reiss, Thursday night

[neuronet]

McGill really has brought a knife to a gun fight here. He's way over his head.

I really wish we had more smilies here: i want one of a little dude clapping.

 

[pheenix11]

Straight Extortion Homey!

 

[PatsfanGlo]

I for one am very glad for Randy Moss. This guy had so much crap said about him his entire career and when he finally settled down, another crap is thrown his direction. I am glad Randy's agent and his lawyers pursued harshest response to this extortion attempt to save Moss' reputation and integrity. While he may not be a saint, nobody deserves to be shaken down like that.

BTW, I couldn't agree more with that bringing a knife to a gun fight analogy.

Go Pats!:rocker:

 

[shmessy]

DiPiero is, by the way, not merely an agent. While he is a licensed sports agent, he also is a lawyer himself, with exceptional credentials and a listing in "Best Lawyers in America." (He also has as a peer review rating from Martindale Hubbel of BV. This is not their best rating -- AV is. But for more than 100 years, the Martindale Hubbel peer ratings are one of the hardest to get. The "B" in BV means his peers have rated him as "high to very high" for competence. The "V" means his "ethical standards" are "very high."

Joe Friedberg is one of the most preeminent criminal defense lawyers in the country. Not one of the guys you have heard about because they like to have their name on tv. He is an AV rated lawyer. Richard Sharpstein is also an AV rated lawyer with more than 30 years experience.

McGill is an unrated lawyer with 2 years experience who lists as his office address a DUI firm, which does not even have him listed as an associate on their web site.

DiPiero did everything right in this case. He contacted the FBI BEFORE the order of protection was sought. He had two lawyers independently contact Mr. McGill -- two lawyers of unquestioned ethics who can corroborate the story.

The problem with Mr. McGill's case is that you cannot offer to settle an order of protection case. His client must assert that she feels an immediate threat of imminent harm. Offering to settle that claim for money is virtually (if not absolutely) a per se ethical violation. Money cannot make a person stop feeling threatened. I suspect it is probably ethically improper for a lawyer in Florida ever to offer to settle a dating violence claim for money, under Fla's rules of professional conduct. Think about it -- how could you ever say "I think he's about to hurt me" but not still feel that way just because he gives you money?

McGill really has brought a knife to a gun fight here. He's way over his head.

Great stuff PFinAZ! Checkmate.

Everybody knows those funny Southwest Airlines commercials? The ones that end "Wanna be somewhere else?" That might be the only place you find this McGill character soon.

 

[DarrylS]

Unless we are missing something here, this case is about extortion and motivated by a greedy attorney who is about the money and fame. Personally glad Moss and agent handled it this way, hopefully it will all be dropped as I really do not want to dwell on the details.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Think this stuff goes on more than we know with athletes, actors, politicians etc. Most just pay up to make it go away. Scary stuff!!
I love that fact that Randy's people sought other legal advice (including in Florida - sweet move!) and this dipsh!t lawyer ran his mouth the same way to them as he did did DiPiero.

 

[DaBruinz]

Moss' Agent contacted FBI last Friday...

According to an AOL Blog, http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/bloggers/michael-david-smith/

Moss' agent, Tom DiPiero, contacted the FBI last Friday and filed a complaint with them regarding Ms. Washington's Lawyer.


If this is true, then Ms. Washington's lawyer is in some hot water, as is she.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Re: Moss' Agent contacted FBI last Friday.....

That was revealed yesterday when he went on the record and released this email

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=74521

It will be interesting to see how the media responds to this news though

 

[DaBruinz]

Sounds like it might be a little more serious than that, since Dipiero was, apparently, willing to make a claim on Randy's homeowner's policy.

Yes, for the medical bills. ER Visit. X-rays. Doctor. ETC. That visit probably ran in the 5K range.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Moss' Agent contacted FBI last Friday.....

Yeah.. I missed that in the other thread.. Just found it as I was reading through.

Thanks JSP.

 

[shmessy]

Sounds like it might be a little more serious than that, since Dipiero was, apparently, willing to make a claim on Randy's homeowner's policy.

When the UPS Delivery guy slips and falls on my driveway, my HO Insurance policy pays that, too.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Yes, for the medical bills. ER Visit. X-rays. Doctor. ETC. That visit probably ran in the 5K range.

Yeah at most...

Too bad he opted out of the "Extortion Coverage" offered by most homeowners insurance companies... but usually that's a rip off... like the extra insurance on rental cars.

 

[Truck]

Sounds like it might be a little more serious than that, since Dipiero was, apparently, willing to make a claim on Randy's homeowner's policy.

The way I took that is "hey if you've got a problem, lets go thru insurance to handle it" and i'm sure the insurance would've then said "there's no problem here, claim denied" and everyone keeps moving along.
And thats why they didn't want to go thru the insurance process.


I've got a bandaid on my thumb as we type because i cut it a few days ago (by someone else's accidental actions). This appears to be a greater injury than what she sustained (since she had no broken bones or cuts; she may have had a bruise though?). And I also prevented myself from seeking expert medical attention (since a bandaid works fine). In no way do I feel the pain/trauma/physical-suffering is worth 500k. At most, there's maybe $2 for pain, plus cost of bandaids. Given that I'm friends with the person responsible, I don't think I'll ask my lawyer to charge him $4.

 

[TedyB54]

I just get the feeling that it's the events leading up to whatever "accident" occured that is really what's behind all this. If Randy was hanging out with her, having a few drinks, maybe smoking some weed....whatever, that's the part that her lawyers are trying to cash in on.

So, although the injury itself was not due to any kind of aggressive action by Randy, I'm sure they figured he'd pay up to prevent any discussion of him violating the NFL substance abuse policy, if he was in fact, doing so.

That may also explain why he didn't want her to go to the hospital, especially if he had to drive her there himself.

Bottom line though is that if her lawyer is found to have attempted extortion, that by far is the larger problem here.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I just get the feeling that it's the events leading up to whatever "accident" occured that is really what's behind all this. If Randy was hanging out with her, having a few drinks, maybe smoking some weed....whatever, that's the part that her lawyers are trying to cash in on.

So, although the injury itself was not due to any kind of aggressive action by Randy, I'm sure they figured he'd pay up to prevent any discussion of him violating the NFL substance abuse policy, if he was in fact, doing so.

That may also explain why he didn't want her to go to the hospital, especially if he had to drive her there himself.

Bottom line though is that if her lawyer is found to have attempted extortion, that by far is the larger problem here.

Lets assume he was smoking weed.

The extortion is now well documented.

If she claims he violated the policy and he says he didn't we have "she says he says." With her credibility shot to hell. Godell can't punish him just because she says they smoked dope, if his blood was clean the next time he is tested.

 

[DaedalusX]

I just get the feeling that it's the events leading up to whatever "accident" occured that is really what's behind all this. If Randy was hanging out with her, having a few drinks, maybe smoking some weed....whatever, that's the part that her lawyers are trying to cash in on.

So, although the injury itself was not due to any kind of aggressive action by Randy, I'm sure they figured he'd pay up to prevent any discussion of him violating the NFL substance abuse policy, if he was in fact, doing so.

What's ridiculous about trying that move is that there's no proof and no way to prove the allegations. The league isn't just going to take some ex-stripper's word for it, especially not one demanding $500k to keep Moss quiet.

And even if he was smoking pot, no drug test is going to pick that up two weeks after the fact. Athletes have such low body fat and high metabolisms that it would be out of his body at most a couple days later.

 

[TedyB54]

Lets assume he was smoking weed.

The extortion is now well documented.

If she claims he violated the policy and he says he didn't we have "she says he says." With her credibility shot to hell. Godell can't punish him just because she says they smoked dope, if his blood was clean the next time he is tested.

Oh, I agree. Like I said, I think that's what her lawyer's thought he'd panic and just settle over. And you're right, the extortion issue will just overshadow everything else at this point, so I wouldn't expect any kind of NFL response to what she says.

 

[TedyB54]

What's ridiculous about trying that move is that there's no proof and no way to prove the allegations. The league isn't just going to take some ex-stripper's word for it, especially not one demanding $500k to keep Moss quiet.

And even if he was smoking pot, no drug test is going to pick that up two weeks after the fact. Athletes have such low body fat and high metabolisms that it would be out of his body at most a couple days later.

Right, which fully explains the credentials and limited experience McGill has. Any other experienced lawyer would have probably told her flat out "This is not going to work and will just get me in trouble".

 

[Truck]

That may also explain why he didn't want her to go to the hospital, especially if he had to drive her there himself.

Or maybe he didn't want her to go to the hospital because she had no physical injuries. A bruised finger is not something you spend 3 hours in an ER to have looked at. Its something, that if it still hurts a few days later, or a week later, then maybe you go to your PCP to have checked out.

 

[Tommysgirl]

Or maybe he didn't want her to go to the hospital because she had no physical injuries. A bruised finger is not something you spend 3 hours in an ER to have looked at. Its something, that if it still hurts a few days later, or a week later, then maybe you go to your PCP to have checked out.

Exactly. He's a football player, I'd imagine he's seen a broken finger or two in his day. You can usually tell when something is broken.