TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Former USF Player Speaks Up For Sexual Battery Suspect
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Published: May 9, 2008
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TAMPA -- Former University of South Florida basketball legend Charlie Bradley, who said he has served as a father figure for Branden Allen for most of the teenager's life, said it's hard to believe Allen would be capable of committing sexual battery.
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office investigators arrested Allen, 18, on Thursday. He was charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment.
Allen is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl Tuesday evening as two fellow Dixie Hollins High School football players served as lookouts, reports said.
"I know he's not that type of person, I can tell you that," Bradley said. "I have two girls of my own — ages 7 and 15 — and I would trust him around them."
Earlier Friday, a lawyer for Allen said Bradley was the child's father. Bradley said that's not correct but that he has known Allen since the boy was 7 months old and always has tried to be the dad that Allen didn't have.
"I just tried to be that role model for him," Bradley said. "Any time he needed to talk to me, he could."
Bradley, the all-time leading scorer in USF men's basketball history, described Allen as an outgoing child with a lot of energy.
"I think he's a good kid," Bradley said. "I'm not with him 24 hours like I am with my own kids, but from what I've heard and seen from him, it's always been good things."
Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( therounderman ) on May 9, 2008 at 10:28 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yea, real good kid. Assaulting a young girl with two lookouts. I think they call it rape. Instead of saying "he couldn't do it", try teaching him some responsibility for his actions. Oh, that's right, we don't do that anymore as parents. If found guilty, castrate him and throw him in jail for life.
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Posted by ( elizabeth1977 ) on May 9, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
you took the words right outta my mouth therounderman!
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Posted by ( TTrent ) on May 9, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
How nice. Speaks up for. Where are our priorities? That would include journalists, of course.
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Posted by ( jenniferjp1969 ) on May 9, 2008 at 11:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Seems like I've heard this somewhere before....
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Posted by ( ceibert ) on May 9, 2008 at 11:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Charlie, you may think he is a good kid. But good kids don't rape women. I am so sick of hearing about these so called good kids that commit violent crimes. Maybe you were not the best role model and want to just cover up the fact.
Good boys respect women. I wonder if you have actually left your daughter's with Allen. If so I would question them to make sure he did'nt rape them.
I am sure after Allen goes to prison he'll learn first hand about being raped. Good luck to him in the big house!
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Posted by ( abmort ) on May 9, 2008 at 11:23 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Innocent until proven guilty. We don't know this girl, or if her story has any degree of truth.
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Posted by ( joeyg ) on May 9, 2008 at 11:48 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Here we go again with the denials. Hell nah. Not my son. He a good boy.
YEAH RIGHT. Give me a freaking break.
ABMORT, you are ignorant. Even if this story was fabricated by the girl, this kind of nonsense happens all the time with parents saying their kids didn't do it and more than 9 times out of 10, THEY DO. So, I'll take my chances at being wrong 1 out of 10, and you can be the fool the other 9 times.
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Posted by ( JNXD ) on May 10, 2008 at 2:34 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I called it yesterday when the first article about this came out. I knew that TBO would find someone who would stick up for these perpetrators. What's next? Pictures of them frolicking in fields of daisies with puppies. These stupid jerks ganged up on an unsuspecting girl and this POS molested her. I can't wait until they are forced to do something sexual by someone else in jail. Perhaps then they will see what big tough guys they really are. 3 on 1. Pathetic.
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Posted by ( Claylisa ) on May 10, 2008 at 5:40 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Believe EVERYTHING you guys read and hear in the media.
How gullible, pathetic, judgmental, and Un-American.
Hopefully, if any of you ever got called for any type of jury duty, a sharp attorney will sniff you sheep-readers out.
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Posted by ( Claylisa ) on May 10, 2008 at 6:14 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
"Even if this story was fabricated by the girl, this kind of nonsense happens all the time"
So even if it was made up, JoeyG says, 'shoot first , ask questions later.' Doesn't matter.
Brilliant concept.
I'll never understand why you think you know so much about law. Your so idiotic it's beyond hilarious!
LOL!
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Posted by ( timer714 ) on May 10, 2008 at 6:53 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
time to trot out the celebrities and choir boy pictures. "he's a good boy" just like nick bolia
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Posted by ( aj_18 ) on May 10, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Their names alone point out their race. I bet the race card is going to be thrown around any minute
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Posted by ( gnavoxy ) on May 11, 2008 at 4:32 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
What does the surveillance tape show?
Only idiots rush to judgment without adjudication. Only idiots quip about the race card.
Weren't three Duke Lacrosse players accused of rape and later exonerated?
The more I read this thread, the more I begin to believe that the vast majority of Americans are stupid. Maybe Senator Obama was correct about small town White folks.
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