It wasn’t until the NFL Draft interview process that former Notre Dame linebacker Prince Shembo was publicly outed as the alleged perpetrator in the Lizzy Seeberg sexual assault case. As Shembo was never charged with any crime in connection to Seeberg’s alleged sexual assault and subsequent suicide, it was illegal to name him as a suspect in the case.
Outing Prince Shembo at that time would be the very definition of libel, even though every single person with a vested interest or connection to Notre Dame football knew that Shembo was the supposed player in question.
It was the worst kept secret in college football. Just ask Google. Go research Prince Shembo auto completes in search engines and see what happens.
The court of public opinion had found Prince Shembo guilty of rape and there was nothing he could do to clear his name. ND prohibited him from speaking publicly on the Seeberg investigation during his time in South Bend. It was a moment that almost, came close to making Shembo a sympathetic figure.
Almost. Because it wasn’t until the scouting combine that Shembo had a chance to tell his side of the story. When he did, it was unimpressive. There was nothing about his revelations during the 2014 NFL Draft process that could make anyone to sympathetic to Shembo.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted him anyway in the fourth round, and he played in all 16 games last season; starting three. In the wake of today’s horrifying news…the Falcons cut ties with him immediately.
This via the Sporting News:
Falcons linebacker Prince Shembo has been arrested on felony charges of animal cruelty after police say kicked and killed his girlfriend’s dog. Atlanta waived him soon after news of the charges broke Friday.
Denicia Williams, Shembo’s ex-girlfriend, called police April 19 after returning to Shembo’s home to pick up her Yorkie named Dior after a four-day stay. She found Dior injured and unresponsive. Dior later died at Duluth Animal Hospital.
The details in that link are horrifyingly sad. It is odd that the Atlanta Falcons are the NFL team that’s been tied to dog killing/animal cruelty both times that this disgusting crime has made headlines. Prince Shembo joins Michael Vick on the NFL’s all time worst guy list.
Prince Shembo is formally charged with a crime this time. This time it’s all public.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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