New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft pleaded not guilty on Thursday to two counts of soliciting prostitution. He is requesting a non-jury trial.
Investigators claim that Kraft entered a spa in Jupiter, Florida on January 19 and 20. He and a woman engaged in a sex act in at least the second visit, prosecutors claim. Authorities say there’s video evidence, but Kraft’s attorney is pushing back. Legal analyst and Law & Crime Network host Amy Dash remarked on Twitter that asking for trial is a risk, but there’s a reason why the defense would want a judge, not jurors, to hear the case.
Kraft, 77, was one of 25 men arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitution in Florida. The women involved were allegedly part of a sex trafficking ring, in which victims were lured to the United States for a better life, but were instead kept as virtual prisoners. Authorities said the men may not have been aware of this background, but were still enablers.
Kraft’s team just won the Super Bowl. His standing in the league might be in danger, though he’s likely to keep his job as long as he doesn’t get in any more alleged trouble.
[Image via Kevin Winter/Getty Images]