Vikings Cornerback Cited for Misdemeanor Assault — at Children’s Hospital
- Posted on January 1, 2012 at 9:51am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp was cited for fifth degree assault after an alleged altercation with security officers at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp was cited for fifth-degree assault and careless driving, both misdemeanors, after an alleged altercation with security at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
Police were called Friday morning after the football player and his 11-year-old son tried to enter the hospital through a closed entrance. The Star Tribune described the alleged incident:
A hospital security guard directed Sapp to another entrance. But, according to Public Information Officer Bill Palmer of the Minneapolis Police Department, Sapp soon returned with his son and stated his intent to enter the building through the closed entrance whether he was allowed to or not. Denied again, Sapp left the 11-year-old with the hospital security guard, indicating the boy’s mother was inside and stating he had to go to work.
Sapp then returned to his car in a nearby parking deck, where a security officer attempted to detain him. A physical altercation ensued, Sapp allegedly pushing the security guard and then driving toward the exit of the ramp.
At the parking deck exit, another confrontation broke in out in which Palmer said Sapp chest-bumped a security officer and later “used his vehicle to try to move the officer out of the way.”
Police told the newspaper they had no information on whether Sapp’s vehicle made actual contact with the security officer. Security was attempting to handcuff the cornerback when police arrived. Palmer said Sapp was cooperative with police and wasn’t arrested, but will face a future court date.
A Vikings spokesman told the Associated Press the team is aware of the incident. Sapp’s agent did not return messages Saturday.



















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Comments (116)
JQCitizen
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:13pmWe will probably see this ONE story about this incident; maybe ONE follow-up when he get probation.
And we‘ve seen HOW MANY stories on the HORRORS of Tim Teboe’s public displays of his love for Christ?
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:04pmin da ghetto.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:09pmDat right!
Report Post »M1A2_Tanker
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 5:15amAnd to think Tebow is the one the left wants to ridicule? The culture is why these things are happening in certain segments of “society”. But I’ll be blasted as a Racist…….oh well!.
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 5:55amDon’t you know me ? I can do anything I want!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 8:23amIt’s too much success, no matter where he’s from or what his race is. He stated his intent to enter the door he WANTED to whether it was allowed or not. In otherwords, I’m famous, I can do what the heck I want and get out of my way. He apparently doesn’t have much regards for his son, just leaving him outside with a guard because he couldn’t get in the door he wanted to go in.
Report Post »M1A2_Tanker
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 2:54pmSee, I told you some ID10T would pull the race card! CULTURE…..LOOK IT UP!
Report Post »vehoae
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 6:30pmAnd yet, Loriann12, that football player is undoubtedly supportive of all his “people” who are participating in the riots/demonstrations (aka, occupiers) spreading across all “57” states. He probably feels he is part of that now-violent group of demonstrators who call themselves the 99%. You know, I saw a post on another article recently by someone who said he/she couldn’t understand why these so-called 99% rioters/demonstrators aren’t setting up their tent cities/street communes in front of sports stadiums. And, why not in front of Hollywood production companies, and theatres where new movies are premiered with actors driving up in limo’s, dressed like royalty. How come the rioters/demonstrators were not out in full-force in Hawaii, Asia (Hawaii is in Asia, according to Obama) where the President et al spent well over $5 Million for a Christmas vacation (some of that money paid from our hard-earned tax dollars).
Just a thought. All this hoopla by Obama and others, insisting that he was, indeed, born in a state of the U.S. — in Hawaii. Then, while making a speech in Hawaii, a few weeks ago, he loudly stated that Hawaii is a part of Asia. Hmmm. Why haven‘t the folks who are still questioning Obama’s birthplace said anything about the fact that Obama now has declared he was born in Asia (Hawaii)?
Lord, come quickly.
Report Post »edndsu
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:33pmDetain him? For what? Power trip anyone?
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:44pmAnother clueless OWS’er. Are you and Scramblin related?
What part of “closed entrance” do you not understand? The security guard was not on some power trip.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:44pmJust another example of how being a rich athlete these days, doesn’t mean you have any actual intelligence…..Benny, the word of the day is “closed”….it has the opposite meaning of open…..Probably should get in your Lexus and drive back to grade school, where you can be taught the finer points of English and manners.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:45pmFor sapp’s power trip,edndsu what you be smokin’?
Report Post »GOOOJOOO
Posted on January 2, 2012 at 6:15amYou need to go back to Huff po where no doubt you are a super user
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:31pmOkay I admit I am not much of a football fan, but in reading the heading I am thinking wow.. the writer of this story is worsr then me.. I have never heard of a cornerback.. a quarterback yes, but a cornerback no??
Report Post »youguysready_letsroll
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:51pmActually, cornerback in a real position in football. Corners line up against + cover wide receivers on defense.
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 6:20pmAbbygirl….
Report Post »A cornerback is a defensive player who defends against the opposing teams pass receivers catching a thrown pass.
Yep…its a position, and….
Yep….. way too many football players have arrest records.
I now don’t follow it at all, so I’m with you on that.
SidneyDave
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:54pmHe is a pro football player and you expect him to be able to understand that a closed entrance means you can’t use it. Good thing it didn’t say “wet paint” or he would have messed up his cloths. Nice role model for his kid, you don’t have to listen to authority son, your dad is above authority.
Report Post »Scramblin
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:16pmOr, alternatively, a great lesson. Little folks with big egos (security guards) like to defend stupid rules that need not exist in the first place. And yes, feel free to not follow the rules when you disagree.
Or just be a sheeple.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:24pmScramblin are you really as dumb as you sound?
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:24pmThe big folks with the big egos are the demanding players. How many examples does one need? Hospital policy dictates when doors ‘must’ be secured. Arrogance speaks to those who think that those rules do not apply to them.
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 6:22pmI think ‘Scramblin’ might be Michael Vick.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:51pmI think scramblin might be Jerry Sandusky….
Report Post »kfalcon22000
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:36pmThese are BS charges. If there was a real confrontation he would have been arrested. They give these tickets to people if they disagree with what someone working at a hospital. My wife got the same ticket for telling a nurse not to cut her clothes off.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:54pmMaybe Sapp snapped
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:21pmkfalcon22000, two things.
Report Post »First I‘m sure you’re not telling us the entire story about your wife.
Second, if they really wanted to stick it to the prima donna Neanderthal, they would have called child protective services for abandonment. And, if a door is closed… It’s closed. Security must enforce that security rule.
AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:29pmSome people are just too lazy to think. Sapp appears to be one of them.
Report Post »Isaiah52021
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:30pmCommon sense…childs “mother” is inside, (not his wife?), childerns hospital, so unlikely she was sick…., more like she worked there, didn’t pick the kid up on time, so big time football player couldn’t be bothered with the kid any longer and was dropping him off to her, whether she was there or not. Her should be charged with neglect at the very least, along with assault.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:43pmScramblin you have made assumptions all through your post, so why pretend now?
Lets call a spade a spade, this is a dad was wrong and put his job above the welfare of his 11 year son. Just because he may be on the outs with his mother, does not give him the right to be a “selective” dad.
Grow up.
And yes, I have shared custody with my ex-husband with our two kids. We managed to keep it civil and the children always came first. I never left them with a stranger at a closed entrance anywhere.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:01pmYou mean Babymama,don’t you?
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 5:42pmand apparently scramblin doesn‘t ’get it’ regarding leaving an 11yr old child with a STRANGER (security guard or not) and it DOESN’T MATTER WHAT ANY agreement is…This kid’s DAD left him with a friggin stranger-security guard outside a closed hospital entrance because, “he had to go to work”.
Again-this guy is my pick for Father of the Year. :)
Report Post »mrtinbender
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:11pmblack or white doesnt matter it is just a pro athlete thing,,i,m special etc all there lives,, problem with bennie sapp is that he was sitting on the couch after being cut by the vikes last year and being cut earlier thios,, only whebn the vikes ran out of d backs did he get a call,,we need mpore TEBOW stories instead of theis garbage,,also the vikes #2 pick lasr year has been charged with assault for strageling his girlfriend please more TEBOW stories
Report Post »NoNannyState4me
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:28pmActually what matters more is that hospital security guards have NO right to detain ANYONE and if in the process of doing so they are ‘victim’ to the police when they fail then WE have a problem. Sapp did nothing wrong, attempting to go in a closed door may be against the wishes of the guards or hospital but it grants them no right to lay their hands on Sapp or attempt to detain him. Sorry, but I wish he kicked the **** out of them and got away with it.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:45pm“Sapp soon returned with his son and stated his intent to enter the building through the closed entrance whether he was allowed to or not.” is a threat to the security guard
Report Post »antisocialist
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:28pmhey nanny, see how that warped logic plays in court. the guards have every right to detain anyone on hospital property who is trespassing. if you are in a restricted area then you are trespassing. even a bouncer in a bar can detain a patron until the police arrive. take it from a bar owner.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:06pm1st of all security at a hospital needs to be maintained. Babies have been stolen from nurseries. Healthcare workers and doctors have been murdered by disgruntled families or patients. When you arrive at any hospital you must check in at the front desk and receive a pass to the patient’s room. There may be reasons why you are unable to see the patient at that time. They may be undergoing a health crisis such as a code blue. They may not want to have visitors at that time. They may be undergoing medical testing in a different part of the hospital. This security guard may not have known that he was a football player which gives him no rights over anybody else to violate security. If the security guard had allowed access through this lock door and unofficial entrance for the general public he may have lost his job or been reprimanded. Yes if you have a loved one who is sick or injured it can distort your emotions but from all the actions of this football player he sabotaged his efforts to see his wife as soon as possible. Hospitals cannot have the general public walking around in nonpublic areas. There is the HIPPA laws which govern patient confidentiality which may possibly be violated by a UNauthorized person in private areas. Plus you have the specter of robberies of prescription drugs or other hospital supplies or equipment including computers etc.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:36pmcontinuation of my earlier post: also many hospitals depending on policies have an age limit for children under the age of 12 visiting. Also hospitals have to ensure that visitors are not sick themselves and could contaminate or infect patients. Hospitals have to be alert for possible further attacks stemming from domestic abuse victims. Hospitals also have no admittance lists for people who have caused continued security or other threats to their workers. Hospitals have to follow state and federal regulations regarding victims and/or criminals seeking medical care. Also having unauthorized people walking around interferes with the duties of the medical staff and could jeopardize the health or life of other patients. If a healthcare worker has to inquire what a person is doing on that floor or where he is headed it stops them for performing their duties of which most nurses and staff are overwhelmed with caring for large numbers of patients. The security guard should be commended for following the regulations and protecting everybody else in that hospital potentially. Instead he is condemned as a rent the cop or some bigot. And we all know that the term rent the cop is a put down. Hospitals are complex centers for human interaction at their most emotional, vulnerable and exposed behaviors of grief and rules and regulations protect those rights for the sick and their families along with the healthcare workers!
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:57pmThe article does not state the actual time of the incident. Hospitals have strict patient visit hours. This may have been in violation of those is particular hours. Patients in intensive care units may only have 5 min. of visitation every other hour or so.
Report Post »@NoNannyState4me “Sapp did nothing wrong, attempting to go in a closed door may be against the wishes of the guards or hospital but it grants them no right to lay their hands on Sapp or attempt to detain him. Sorry, but I wish he kicked the **** out of them and got away with it.”
A big athlete no matter what his skin color confronts a security guard doing his duty to protect the hospital and all its patients and workers and is threatened verbally has the right to defend himself and to detain the person until law enforcement shows up. It was your mother or sister or baby that was in possible danger and this person had been let in through the back door you know you would be suing that hospital for large amounts of money. So cut out the indignation over a situation you have no understanding of its complexities.
chazmo
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:15pmexcellent post, very adult, very common sense. Most dopes are reactionary about stories like this. You spelled out this incident in a rational way. Glad to see someone with some rational thought.
Report Post »Scramblin
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:21pmJP get a clue. Threatening a door is NOT threatening a person. You are very confused. Also a hospital rule is not enforceable by law.
I think you are intermingling politeness and legality.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:35pmScamblin, you just proved it, you are as dumb as you sound.
Security guard says the entrance is closed. Football player tells security guard he is going through whether he likes it or not. What part of this do you think the door understood? He wasn’t talking to the door dip s————.
This is why you guys always get arrested, you have no concept of the law or jurisdiction of security guards. And you think you can do anything you want; doesn’t work that way. If you try to enter an entrance that is closed and is stopped by management or security that is called criminal trespass. They could have charged him with this, but charged him with assault when he assaulted the guard upon leaving. Technically, he could also get charged with abandonment, but it might be hard to get them to stick.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:40pmScramblin… Obviously you‘re an idiot you haven’t read my entire posts. Nobody saying he threatened the door he Possibly could have threatened the life and safety of all the people in the hospital. It doesn’t say whether the hospitals a private hospital or a public hospital but in either case just as with airports and courts public security in this day and age of terrorism has to be maintained. He threatened the security guard when he said he was going through the door one way or another. To me that means he was good to break the door down or attack the security guard and take his keys! He‘s lucky he wasn’t shot or taizered. with verbal threats he should also be charged with attempted battery. also many security agents at hospitals are off-duty policeman who still have the same powers off duty as on-duty.
Report Post »georgeisn6
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:04pmOH my, racism caused him to act like a mentaly challenged boob, in the persents of crippled children. “O”whatabummer”
Report Post »georgeisn6
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:57amTheir are big children and then their are little children, and this bruser is one of the little children.
Report Post »randy
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:36amHmmmmm…. Another Black Guy, who would have guessed?
Report Post »Kalish
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:22pmRandy said : Hmmmmm…. Another Black Guy, who would have guessed?
Yes I am shocked !
Report Post »mattmo79
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:29amPaul Blart strikes again!!
Report Post »neverending
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:59amGee I wonder how long it will take for them to condemn this behavior the same as they did Tim Tebow behavior. That would be NEVER – they will turn him out to be a hero!!
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:13amThe whole situation is all because of the racist security at the hospital. If he was white he would have been let right in. He will end up getting an apology from the hospital for the discrimination and for his inconvenience and being disrespected in front of his son.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:23amI have gone to a incorrect door at a hospital and been told there was no egress through it. See, being WHITE I said “Oh where can I get in; I received a call that my wife is having heart pains.” I was expedited to the correct door; with an escort (walking). It was 10:30 pm.
This has everything to do with RESPECT for other human beings; or believing you are SPECIAL and above the rules.
Report Post »waggie
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:00pmBull crap AB5R. If you can’t go through a closed entrance, you can’t go through. I’m sick of so many, many blacks claiming racism because of their color. This guy obviously wanted special treatment because of who he thinks he is, rather than follow the rules. He probably didn’t want to be recognized at the front entrance, which I can understand, but when they told him no he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Get a life.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:04pmwag, I was being facetious, but fact is that is how it will probably play out.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 3:02pm(The whole situation is all because of the racist security at the hospital. If he was white he would have been let right in. He will end up getting an apology from the hospital for the discrimination and for his inconvenience and being disrespected in front of his son.)
Report Post »AB5r you just have to play the race card on this don’t you? It doesn’t say the race of the security guard and there is a good possibility that he may have been black! Or you’re assuming that the whole hospital is anti-black! Right? I don’t know the particulars about this hospital but many hospitals are in inner cities where the majority of the population is black as is most of the workers including the security guards. If there had been a special situation with his notoriety and he had been respectful to the security guard the guard who in all likelihood had a radio could have called into his superiors and handle the situation differently. It all comes down to respect of the security guard white or black or brown or yellow or albino as a human who has a job to do!
RodT82721
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:49amThe battle of the Titans!
A wannabe Rent-a-cop Vs an adult that’s paid millions to play a game. Now that’s a couple of egos to come up against each other. It’s a wonder someone didn’t get shot!
Is it any wonder it turned out bad?
Why would a Hospital go to all that expense of building an entrance, then close it?
Report Post »Why do they need rent-a-cops at a children’s hospital?
Maybe something to do Homeland security, and everyone entering the children’s hospital has to be searched for bombs?
AB5r
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:16amAnd if you were the security guard you would have noticed the highly paid football player and opened the locked door and held it open hoping he would give you a tip.
Report Post »1776freedomofspeech
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:28amHow about just follow the hospitals rules and have no incident? Or is that too easy?
Report Post »Xavier_Holden
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:12pmThis is COMMON practice to close certain entrances during off hours. This reduces the number of personnel the hospital needs to have on shift to keep normal security levels at the facility. Often, the only entrances and exits are the ER during off hours.
Why do hospitals need security guards? Are you serious? To keep the peace from thugs like the one in this story. I guess your question was rhetorical?
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 3:08pmDepending on the age of the hospital and with continued upgrading and changing to the hospital’s structure in order to accommodate new services entrances may need to be closed to the public. But they may still have been required for fire safety. In evacuation of a large structure requires many doors.
Report Post »Jim in Houston
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:45amWhat a piece of trash! Looks like a typical dimocRat supporter.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:51amGee. What a surprise. An adolescent adult behaving childishly. Who could predict this stuff?
Report Post »1776freedomofspeech
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:44amNice “role model”.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:29am.
1%’er not getting his way………
Obama protected class?…………
Report Post »forthepeople
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:28amWhere is Social Services ( leaving the kid, abandonment ) any other person and they would be all over him ?
Report Post »solabola71
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:16amJust another reason why taxpayers in MN should not be footing the bill for a new stadium for these idiots.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:50pmThey did elect a muslime to congress,y’all
Report Post »Redistributor
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:15amOh sapp!
Report Post »starman70
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:09amMy multi million dollar sports contract allows me to bypass all the regulations intended for all the rest of the plebian populace.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 12:47pmJust like our bastard in chief.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:09pm4 million dollar vacation by the hnic andthis is news, homey please
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:08amI feel sorry for that 11yr old kid. His dad getting pissed off because he can’t follow instructions (The guard pointed out the available entrance.) and then returning to leave the kid with a security guard (the mom was inside the hospital-working? sick?) and then LEFT THE KID.
Report Post »Yep, he’s my nomination for Father of the Year.
jakartaman
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:07amI am special – these things are for the masses not me.
Report Post »Question – What was the big deal not to use the proper entry door?
NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:43pmCause he be special,yo! What don’t you people understand? Just because one has money doesn’t mean one has class,how many times have we seen this kind of “behavior” from these thugs, reminds me of Trading Places, Are thugs born or bred?
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 9:56amRent a Cop with a Napolean complex or Pro Football Thug with a Obama Complex???
Both???
Report Post »Redd
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:02amThe entrance was closed, did the hospital need to write the sign in ebonics.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:02amNo freedom and no responsibility collide.
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 10:18amMany security guards do have “little man” complex (you get what you under-pay for), and many sports figures have big man complex (you get what you over-pay for), but the rules are the rules and some think that their status in life gives them a reason to run rough shod over the rules.
Many times security guards attempt to put their hands on people and most times out of ten, even if they think it’s justified… it will usually come back to bite them in the @ss even if they were right in “guarding” their territory.
What was the name of that movie? Observe and report? Lol.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 1:53pmWhy blame the security guard when the problem is clearly the ghetto mentality of sapp that is the problem?
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:07pmRedd “The entrance was closed, did the hospital need to write the sign in ebonics.”
That would be funny if the guard had started talking ebonics, “yo g, whattup, dat doh be locked, yo, yeez gotz to go round da frunt, straight up.” Then he would be acused of being racist for that!
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