A year after he was arrested for sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute, the civil trial of former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor began on Tuesday.
The Hall of Fame linebacker was in the courtroom as teenager Cristina Fierro, who was 16 at the time of the incident, described what happened between her and Taylor. Taylor previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute and was sentenced to six years or probation.
Fierro described the scene, which took place at a hotel room in Montebello, just north of New York City. She said another man forced to have sex with Taylor for money, and when she entered the hotel room, he was waiting for her with no clothes on.
"He said I had nice curly hair like his wife," Fierro recalled, according to ESPNNewYork.com.
Taylor said that he believed Fierro was 19 at the time of the incident. She described how he tried to get her comfortable and how she called her uncle from the hotel bathroom, who instructed her to call 911. She called the police and left her phone in her bag, but the police never came to the hotel. She said she was "waiting for shadows to come and banging on the door to come get me."
Fierro described how the size difference between the two made her uncomfortable. She said: "(I) felt like I wasn't making a difference because of how big he was compared to me." She said she told him it was her "first time" and he replied, "Just relax."
According to the article: "It was really rough and painful," she testified, saying she felt suicidal several months later and began taking medication for depression, insomnia and anxiety."
Following the encounter between the two, she said Taylor "just pulled out money and said, 'Here, can you turn the TV off on your way out?' "
Once she left, Fierro called her uncle about the 911 call and the incident. Later the police came to the Bronx home of the man who forced her to have sex and arrested him. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.
According to the article: "Taylor's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said in his opening statement that Taylor never used violence, never threatened Fierro and thought she was sent by a friend who offered 'female companionship.'"
His lawyer also said that Taylor "did have sex with a woman who was 16 years, 11 months and three weeks old. I am not condoning what he did," Aidala said. "It's a crime he's been punished for."
Taylor was a star on two New York Giants Super Bowl teams and is considered to be one of the most dominant defensive players of all time. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was a controversial player during his career, dealing with drug use and other issues.
The linebacker will take the stand on Wednesday and will be cross examined.
"The Associated Press doesn't normally publish the names of accusers in sexual-assault cases unless they agree to be named or identify themselves publicly, as Fierro has done."
