Call for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to resign comes from father of woman abused by Chicago Bears star
By RYAN GORMAN
The father of a woman said to have been repeatedly abused by Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall called for Roger Goodell to resign during a Wednesday afternoon press conference chaired by civil rights attorney Gloria Allred.
Clarence Watney and Kristeena Spivey claim they contacted the NFL on multiple occasions to report instances of physical abuse against Rasheedah Watney that included multiple severe injuries. Spivey also claims she was a victim of Marshall's.
Rasheedah Watney did not attend the televised announcement, but both Clarence Watney and Spivey did. Each claims they phoned and sent letters to Goodell regarding the abuse. Only Watney heard back from the embattled commissioner.
"I'll look into it," she recalled him saying back in 2008. Spivey says there was never any follow up.
Clarence Watney claims to have only heard from a Denver Broncos flack, Marshall was drafted by the team in 2006, asking to give the troubled star a second chance.
"He can change," Clarence Watney recalled the person saying.
"He did: more abusive," said the clearly distraught father, before telling a room devoid of noise outside of the clicking of camera shutters that Marshall had been telling his daughter since eighth grade that they would get married.
Spivey called Marshall a "handsome, charming young man with a good head on his shoulders" before detailing several disturbing allegations.
"In the wee hours of June 17, 2006, I received the very first of what seemed like a hundred calls from Rasheedah crying on the other end of the line," said Spivey before pausing to compose herself. "She told me that she was hiding in the bushes from Brandon, who had allegedly punched her in the face."
Spivey says she immediately sent Rasheedah Watney a plane ticket back home and was horrified by what she saw the following morning.
"I pulled up to the airport nervous, scared and confused. I did not want to believe that Brandon would ever harm Rasheedah," said Spivey. "My doubt quickly faded when I saw her walk out of the airport.
"She had blood in her severely swollen lips, her hair was disheveled, there were tears running down her face and puffy eyes I thought were from crying. It was not until later that day that color of her beautiful face and her sweet eyes would overcome with black [bruising]."
Spivey claimed there were too many incidents to mention, but the one that stuck out most in her mind ended with Marshall attacking her as well.
She drove to their home after another frantic late night phone call.
"Rasheedah was outside, her hair again was disheveled and this time she had a gaping wound to her thigh that blood was pouring out of," said Spivey, who recalled pleading with her to go to the hospital.
The battered woman refused to seek medical attention. But things only escalated as Spivey called the police.
"Brandon got into his vehicle, drove up behind us and proceeded to ram the back of my vehicle," she said, her voice shaking. Marshall rammed the car three times, she said.
"After ramming my vehicle, Brandon exited his car and located a boulder of cement," she continued. "Once he retrieved the boulder of cement he threw it into the passenger side of my car where Rasheedah was sitting" and demanded she go with him.
"I was in fear for her and my safety."
Police arrived 12 minutes later, took a statement and no criminal charges were filed for the incident.
Both women obtained a restraining order against Marshall, but the only punishment the wide receiver faced was a three game suspension.
That was subsequently reduced to only one game.
Marshall has previously denied ever abusing Rasheedah Watney, but has not yet commented on Wednesday's press conference.
Spivey cited the instance of Michael Vick's indefinite suspension for his involvement in a dog fighting ring before throwing a haymaker of her own at Goodell.
"Does that mean women's lives, safety and worth are less than those of dogs?"
Messages left with the Denver Broncos, the Chicago Bears and the NFL seeking further comment have yet to be returned.
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