Don’t Forget about Jerry Jones’ Law Suit
It’s unfortunate that only a brutal video can cause spousal abuse to make the nightly news, and it’s unfortunate that only a big name can raise public awareness about the widespread tolerance of child abuse.
The only reasons domestic abuse or other forms of violence against women emerge into the spotlight is the brutality of the act or the fame of the abuser, and the domestic abuse stories that explode onto the public landscape, that cause a paradigm shift in public attitudes or calls for resignation or suspension, combine both–attempted cover-ups are simply a bonus. But it also seems true that there is a saturation point, as sad as that is, for such stories. When the issue hasn’t gone national, when an All-Pro player hasn’t dragged a woman out an elevator like a lion drags a gazelle out of its den, this point seems to be zero. Even when the first two conditions are met, media coverage, not even a suspension, isn’t a given. How many people know that All-Pro Terrell Suggs allegedly “knocked down his fiancee, climbed on top of her, and spilled bleach on her and their 1-year old son?” How many people know that Suggs also allegedly punched “his girlfriend in the neck and dragging her alongside a moving car?” He was never charged criminally–most domestic abuse events don’t result in convictions–but where was the coverage of this? Charged or not, dragging someone along a moving car should warrant more than a day’s news cycle and no one’s anger.
Jun 17, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones answers questions about Kyle Orton (not pictured) not being at minicamp at Cowboys headquarters at Valley Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
But sometimes, luckily, domestic and sexual abuse is more than a blip on the radar, and for whatever reason, actually does ascend to the national stage. The saturation point no longer becomes zero, and the awful transgressions no longer hide behind media indifference. Even then, there is, apparently, still a saturation point: one abuser and one enabler.
Lost in the chaos surrounding the actions of Ray Rice and the inaction of Roger Goodell is a troubling lawsuit filed against Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Jana Weckerly alleges that Jones groped and digitally penetrated her, and forced her to watch him commit various sexual acts. Then, allegedly, Jones and the Cowboys “conspired to cover up the sexual assault.” How the Jones and Co. are accused of doing that :
"25. Instead of reporting JERRY JONES’S crimes, Defendant JERRY JONES,COWBOYS and other actors entered into an agreement to conceal this sexual assault of Plaintiff and keep it secret at the expense of Plaintiff.26. Defendants JERRY JONES and COWBOYS threatened Plaintiff so that she would not tell the police.27. Defendants JERRY JONES and COWBOYS intimidated Plaintiff and toldher to keep quiet and not tell anyone else “or else”. 28. Defendants JERRY JONES and COWBOYS bullied Plaintiff into believing that she would somehow be in trouble if she told anyone about the sexual assault.29. Defendants JERRY JONES and COWBOYS intimidated her into signing documents against her will, without giving her a copies, or access to legal counsel."
Jun 17, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones watches from a skybox during minicamp at Cowboys headquarters at Valley Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys’ legal staff responded, saying that Weckerly’s allegations were “completely false” (obviously) and a transparent “money grab.” Whether or not that is true remains to be seen–there are some weird elements, like the fact that the case was filed five years after the events unfolded–but its outcome is almost secondary. The real problem is the shelf-life, or lack thereof.
Not every story can make the national news, even if it should, and not every lawsuit can be covered. But if there was ever a time to cover this one, or at least one of this nature, it’s now. It’s when the Commissioner is on the hot seat for effectively condoning, by way of laughable punishment, domestic abuse. It’s when two of the league’s best running backs are suspended indefinitely. If there was ever a time to cover an owner’s sexual assault, or at least dive deeper than “this law suit was filed”, it’s now. And that isn’t happening. Due to what seems an almost national nonchalance over the issue, perhaps driven by media indifference along with the idea that “lovers quarrels” and child discipline should be kept in the home, it isn’t a given that the Jones story would ever have seen more coverage than has thus far. But if the violence against women and children is currently in the news, and the Jones suit is only getting a cursory glance, than only two explanations arise: either all of the news sources consider the lawsuit a “money grab”, or there is a saturation point for violence against women.
I say it’s the second.