ALBERTO DEL RIO TRIAL SET TO COMMENCE NEXT MONDAY IN SAN ANTONIO

 

Former WWE and Impact Wrestling Champion Jose Albero Rodriguez Chucuan aka Alberto Del Rio and Alberto el Patron is slated to stand trial next Monday 1/25 in San Antonio, Texas, facing one count of aggravated kidnapping and four counts of sexual assault after being indicted in October 2020.  If the charges stand and Chucuan is found guilty, he could be facing as much as life in prison.

Chucuan, 43, was arrested on 5/9/20 after a victim went to San Antonio, Texas authorities, stating that on Sunday 5/3/20 at 10 PM, Chucuan allegedly became angry with her and physically assaulted her after accusing her of infidelity.  When the victim would not admit to the infidelity, Chucuan allegedly slapped her "across the head" several times.  The victim also alleged that Chucuan "forced her to wear a dress and dance for him" and that when she refused and he told her not to start crying because if she did, "he would take her son and drop him in the middle of the road somewhere."

The arrest affidavit stated that the woman alleged Chucuan had sexually assaulted her and that she had her injuries documented via photographs. 

At the time, The FOX affiliate in San Antonio reported, "Police said Rodriguez Chucuan then tied the woman's hands with boxing straps, put a sock in her mouth and sexually assaulted her for several hours, using various objects. According to investigators, he also punched her in the back during the assault, causing visible injuries. The victim told detectives she does not remember much after he placed his hand around her throat."

TMZ later reported additional details that brought the accusations into a much more disturbing light, stating that the victim reported the attack started at around 10 PM on 5/3/20 and that it lasted over 16 hours, ending  on 5/4/20 on 2:30 PM.  The victim went to the police the same day with TMZ's report noting that the responding officer saw bruises on her face, arms, legs and neck.  The victim alleged that Chucuan attempted to burn her passport and smashed her laptop computer and cell phone.  TMZ reported that the victim, "..also claims Del Rio attacked her, causing multiple injuries and left her, 'feeling woozy and dizzy from the hits to her head.' "    The victim told police she was afraid and intended to leave San Antonio as soon as possible.

In Texas, a conviction for aggravated kidnapping, if punishable in the first degree could result in a a prison sentence ranging from 5 to 99 years or life imprisonment and/or a fine up to $10,000.  However, if the accused can prove they released the alleged victim voluntarily, they could only be convicted of aggravated kidnapping in the second degree, which could result in a prison sentence ranging from two to 20 years and/or a fine up to $10,000.   If Del Rio was indeed indicted, the minimum prison sentence for sexual assault (per count) under Texas law would be 2 years with a maximum of up to 20 years.  As a second degree felony under Texas law, sexual assault can also lead to a fine of up to $10,000, in addition to incarceration.  

Since departing WWE, Chucuan has wrestled as Alberto el Patron in Impact Wrestling, last wrestling in February 2020 for Qatar Pro Wrestling.

Chucuan fought last year for MMA promotion Combate Americas, where he also held a figurehead executive position.  A representative for MMA promotion Combate Americas declined to give a statement to PWInsider.com at the time of Chucuan's arrest.  He has not appeared in any capacity for the promotion since his indictment. 

It should be noted that several months ago, a woman (we are protecting her identity for obvious reason) issued an apology via social media for what Chucuan's family has been going through since the arrest.  Chucuan's brother responded, claiming on his own social media that it was an admission that the charges were false.  Since that social media comment, nothing has changed in regard to the trial date, but if the woman was indeed rescinding her claims, one would think that would quickly be brought up in court as the trial commences.

GABE SAPOLSKY RESPONDS TO SAMANTHA TAVEL LAWSUIT, FILES MOTION TO DISMISS (Wonder Why He Waited So Long, HHMMMM)

 

The lawsuit was filed back in October and Gabe waited until TEN DAYS AGO.. To file a motion to dismiss? makes you go HHMM, on why he waited so long. Makes you go, HHMMM, indeed.

Gabe Sapolsky officially responded to the lawsuit Samantha Tavel (aka pro wrestler Candy Cartwright) brought against him, WWE star Matt Riddle, World Wrestling Entertainment and EVOLVE Wrestling, LLC before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division on 1/8.

Tavel's lawsuit, filed in October 2020, is seeking $10 million against each of the defendants, stemming from Tavel's allegations (which became public during the Speaking Out movement online) that Riddle allegedly choked and forced her to perform oral sex on her in May 2018.  While the initial allegation referenced that the incident took place inside a van, Cartwright stated in an October 2020 press conference today that the incident took place on a bus that was leaving EVOLVE 104 in Summit, Illinois, hence the lawsuit was being filed before Cook County Court.

Sapolsky filed a motion to dismiss on 1/8 noting several different reasons why the court should dismiss proceedings against him while also responding specifically to Tavel's allegations against him.  

First, the motion argued that the court should dismiss the complaint because the court lacks jurisdiction over Sapolsky as he does not live in Illinois, does not own any property in the State and is only in the State sparingly for work reasons, so there is no reason the court should hold jurisdiction over him and expect him to regularly appear in Court for the legal proceedings.

Secondly, the motion to dismiss argues, "As an initial matter, it is important to point out that Mr. Sapolsky did not hire Ms. Tavel to perform at this event. She came to the event on her volition, insisted on attending the event, and paid her own expenses." 

There are attached pieces of evidence featuring private messages between Sapolsky and Tavel from Twitter DMs where Tavel tells Sapolsky that she has the option of taking a "local" independent booking in the Northeast the same weekend EVOLVE is running Illinois and Michigan.  Sapolsky tells her there are no cars driving from New York to the events that weekend, to feel free to take the other booking over EVOLVE and that they can continue using her on the next EVOLVE events, since they would have only used her in "quick angles" on the shows in question.  In the exchange, Tavel told Sapolsky that she sees EVOLVE and WWN as a "top priority" and later reaches out to him to tell Sapolsky that she has booked her own flight to the events and will be there.

The motion also states that Sapolsky did not hire Tavel to perform at the event and that she was not an employee for EVOLVE; the motion notes that EVOLVE has only ever had two employees, Sapolsky and Sal Hamaoui.  It claimed that Tavel "came to the event on her volition, insisted on attending the event, and paid her own expenses."  It also noted that Matt Riddle was not an employee of EVOLVE and appeared at the show as an independent contractor.

Sapolsky's motion also incorporates some of Matt Riddle's previous response, that a videographer named Joseph M. Ranta transported numerous performers from the venue to their hotel in Michigan in his van as there was another EVOLVE event in Livonia, Michigan the next day.   Riddle's previous response featured an affidavit filed by Ranta as well as photos of the exterior and interior of his van.   Ranta's affidavit stated that on the evening in question, then-EVOLVE talents Keith Lee, Anthony Henry and JD Drake were also in the van with Drake sitting in the front passenger seat, Henry and Lee in the center seats and Riddle and Tavel in the back seats.     

The records from Ranta's GPS on the evening in question were also filed as evidence, noting they left the Summit Park District in IL on 5/20/18 IL at 12:26 AM,  They stopped for gas and left that gas station at 12:34 AM, then drove 33 miles to a Denny's Restaurant, arriving in Portage, Indiana at 1:22 AM (48 minutes later), stating that they entered Indiana 36 minutes into their drive, around 1:10 AM.   Ranta's affidavit stated that out of all the passengers, only Keith Lee fell asleep during the drive to Denny's and that the other four passengers were awake.   Ranta's affidavit also stated everyone exited the Denny's at 2:35 AM, then drove 2 hours, 37 minutes to Ranta's home in Mason, Michigan.   Ranta stated that Drake, Lee and Henry had all fallen asleep during that drive, with himself, Riddle and Tavel all being awake the entire ride.  Ranta stated he, Tavel and Riddle spent 12 minutes at Ranta's home before he drove everyone to The Comfort Inn Metro Airport near Detroit, Michigan where the wrestlers were staying.  The affidavit does not mention that any alleged assault took place, but also does not deny one happened. 

Riddle's filing featured the following claim, attempting to state that if any incident even happened, it most likely did not transpire in Illinois due to the timeline of the travel under the GPS history compared to Tavel's 6/19/20 Twitter post that first raised the allegations.  Riddle had previously argued, in his own motion for dismissal, that "It is implausible that Mr. Riddle would ask to engage in sexual intercourse “in front of other members of Evolve while on a bus,” immediately after performing at a wrestling event, without any witnesses in a small but full vehicle.   If that did happen, no matter the size of the vehicle, surely, someone would have noticed the assault and said something."

The dismissal motion was accompanied by a statement from Sapolsky, noting, in part:

*Sapolsky was not in Illinois in April 2017, a weekend Tavel had accused Riddle of attacking her in her law; there was no EVOLVE event in Illinois that weekend and Riddle has previously stated that he believes Tavel is referring to a consensual encounter the two had in New York that weekend.  Sapolsky stating he was not in Illinois is obviously to point out a factual inaccuracy in the original lawsuit because that error further distances him from Illinois jurisdiction.

*EVOLVE did arrange for transportation for talents working the May 2018 weekend that Tavel alleges Riddle sexually assaulted her, but neither Tavel nor Riddle traveled in the pre-arranged EVOLVE transportation van.  The statement is accompanied by a receipt for a van rented by Brandon Tolle (now an Impact referee) and that can a completely different car than the one that Riddle has previously submitted photos and details of in his denials of Tavel's accusations against him.  So, Sapolsky is arguing that whatever may have happened, it could not have occurred on his/EVOLVE's watch since neither Riddle nor Tavel traveled in any vehicles arranged for by EVOLVE for EVOLVE talents.

*Sapolsky stated that he did not ask Tavel to appear at the weekend in question, did not reimburse her expenses, did not hire her or Riddle as employees for himself or EVOLVE and did not ask Tavel to appear on the Michigan event the day after the alleged assault.

Tavel has until 1/25 to file an official response to Sapolsky's motion to dismiss.  The court will then rule on WWE, Riddle and Sapolsky's motions to dismiss by 2/8.

Jeff Jarrett, And His "Global Force Wrestling" (Which Is Basically Just Jarrett) Vs Anthem Lawsuit Officially Dismissed

 

The Jeff Jarrett and Global Force Entertainment lawsuit against Impact Wrestling parent company Anthem Wrestling was officially dismissed on 1/14, with the caveat that it can be re-opened if their agreed upon settlement should fall through.  The two sides informed the court on 1/8 that they had finally agreed to a settlement after well over two years of legal battles.

Sources have stated that while Jarrett has declined to comment on the lawsuit settlement when asked, he has been in a "great mood" over the last week, leading to speculation among some that he received a monetary settlement.  

As to where the ownership of the GFW footage landed in the settlement.  While nobody has been unable to get a comment from either side on the matter, but if the DVDs go back on sale via Impact's website and/or that content pops up on Impact+, it'll be pretty much a given that Impact ended up purchasing the content as part of the settlement.