Photo: Nancy Lane/Digital First Media/Boston Herald via Getty
Robert Kraft is speaking out for the first time after he wascharged last month with soliciting prostitutionat a massage parlor in Florida.
“I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard,” added Kraft, whopleaded not guiltyto the charges. “Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing. The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being.”
Kraft is scheduled to appear in court on March 28, according toESPN.
Robert Kraft.Kevin Winter/Getty
One day before releasing his statement, Kraft’s attorney William Burck told theNew York Postthat the West Palm Beach State Attorney had denied their request to prevent evidence from the case — including video which allegedly shows spa employees performing sex acts on Kraft — from being released.
“We put in a motion for a protective order of the evidence in this case, a standard request in any case to keep evidence protected until trial — especially since the video evidence supposedly contains private moments between [two or more] people,” he told the outlet. “We’ve been surprised and disappointed that the state attorney did not sign on to the protective order, because it is a standard procedure in a criminal case. They declined to agree to the protective order.”
He went on to issue a statement toESPNon Friday, saying, “There was no human trafficking and law enforcement knows it. The video and the traffic stop were illegal and law enforcement just doesn’t want to admit it. The state attorney needs to step up and do the right thing and investigate how the evidence in this case was obtained.”
On Thursday, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told CNBC that he thought the footage, which he described as “explicit sexual and graphic” was “probablygoing to get released.”
“There has to be a specific reason not to release a public record. And the fact that there is sexual activity is not an exemption,” he added.
Police announced on Feb. 22 that Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution in connection with a human trafficking investigation allegedly tied to a chain of Florida massage parlors. Kraft faces the same charges as 24 other men.
source: people.com
