Big Star, Big Game, Battery Allegation
Randy Moss cites an "accident," calls female friend's abuse claim "extortion."
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Jan. 17, 2008— -- Randy Moss joined the Patriots this season determined to avoid off-field problems. Now he's in the middle of one, just days before Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
A temporary restraining order was issued Monday requiring the star wide receiver to stay at least 500 feet from a woman who alleged he committed "battery causing serious injury" to her at her Florida home on Jan. 6.
Moss denied the allegation by Rachelle Washington, which he called "this situation of extortion," and said he was "furious" about it. The restraining order was issued in the Broward County 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
A hearing on whether to issue a permanent restraining order is scheduled for 3 p.m. Jan. 28, six days before the Super Bowl.
Moss broke his usual midweek silence as he was surrounded by two dozen reporters and 10 videocameras at his locker on Wednesday. He didn't identify the woman but said she has been a friend for 11 years and that she asked for "six figures" for what he said was an accident in which she was hurt.
"I want to make something clear," Moss said. "In my whole entire life of living 30 years, I've never put my hand on one woman, physically or in an angry manner."
Melissa Miller, an assistant to David McGill, the Miami-based attorney representing Washington, told ESPN.com "At this time there is no comment on the situation."
Asked if Washington was aware of comments from Moss alleging that she was seeking money to keep quiet, Miller said "We have no comment on anything."
A telephone message left by The Associated Press with Moss' attorney, Jim DiPiero, was not immediately returned.
In his previous nine seasons -- seven with Minnesota and two with Oakland -- Moss was involved in several off-field incidents.
"This is a negative," he said of the latest allegation, "a black cloud hanging over my head, and that's something that I did not want coming into the season. ... Everything I tried to do from getting here early, to make sure I eat the right food, all the way to practicing and playing, I wanted all of that to be A-plus.
