Confirmed with Link: Randy Lee to be arraigned in Buffalo court

[BonkTastic]

your apparent terrible sense in humor

I definitely fall more on the "absurdist" side of the comedic spectrum.

It's admittedly not for everyone. I guess that's why Jeff Dunham is a millionaire, and I'm just a guy on a hockey message board.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Uhh, no?

Yeah, I'm going to have to go with a big fat "NO" on that one.

Due process is the standard upon which we base our entire legal system. Without it, we are no better than mob justice via the court of public appeal.

Honestly, anyone who disagrees with the basic principles and rights of "due process" is either so stupid that they can't comprehend why it's as important as it is, or so ignorant that their opinion on the topic (and if we're being honest, probably many, many other topics) is utterly worthless.

Tell that to Sens Twitter. They've already packed his bags for federal prison.

Add HF Sens to that as well after reading the rest of today's comments....

 

[Ice-Tray]

You're assuming a lot here. Unless someone can show me otherwise, I've only ever seen the Sens say that his status remains unchanged - i.e. he is still an employee of the Sens and is an AGM for the team. The team has never said his duties remain the same.

This, and there is also the idea that PD has a little more information than we do about what went down. We can assume, I think, that he has Lee's side of the story.

It would be easy enough, and respectful of due process to not suspend him, or fire him, but staple him to a desk (like cops do) until this is sorted out. Telling the public that they were suspending him or changing his duties is akin to admitting questioning his innocence.

Consider also that this is not a serious charge and if guilty he will get a fine. This is not the level of severity where you send a guy home and tell the world you're doing it.

 

[JimmySpaetzle]

Anyone else see the article that was in the Citizen on Saturday? Some absolutely grotesque stuff if true. Not sure if any of the article is any different from the other reports that have come out though

 

[BonkTastic]

Anyone else see the article that was in the Citizen on Saturday?

Here's the article (<--- that's a link) in case anyone wants to read it.

Highlights:
1) Lee being a bit of a creep perv - tried to give the driver a massage (after the driver had asked him to stop), then pointed at his junk.
2) Melnyk, not Lee, was the one who hired Cambria as legal representation
3) Lee is being charged with 2nd degree harassment, which is not a crime in NY state.
4) DA said despite harassment not being terribly severe in legal terms, case could be very damaging for Lee's career.

 

[Tuna99]

Here's the article (<--- that's a link) in case anyone wants to read it.

Highlights:
1) Lee being a bit of a creep perv - tried to give the driver a massage (after the driver had asked him to stop), then pointed at his junk.
2) Melnyk, not Lee, was the one who hired Cambria as legal representation
3) Lee is being charged with 2nd degree harassment, which is not a crime in NY state.
4) DA said despite harassment not being terribly severe in legal terms, case could be very damaging for Lee's career.

Randy Lee is very lucky he works for a high profile company. What he did sounds disgusting and this is the USA after all - if Lee had done what he had done and was poor and a minority he’d be charged with something more severe.

Celebrities or High Profile people, their reputations mean nothing. 23 years service and ‘character’ doesn’t mean you aren’t hiding a very dirt secret from everyone. Bill Cosby was America’s Dad, Louis CK was everyone’s favourite Grumpy-Uncle.

The big part of this is I don’t like how the Sens handled it (no pun intended) - Lee should of at least of been brought back to Ottawa for the summer and kept under lock and key for the summer. They seem to be dismissing it as a nothing-burger and it sends the completely wrong message.

Melnyck seems to be in a ‘me versus the world’ mentality right now and that’s very dangerous. When you think you have nothing to lose you surround yourself with the wrong types of people and your brain doesn’t think clearly to represent yourself or your business in the best way possible. I don’t think the Sens are taking this seriously and I don’t like how they have dealt with it - and that hurts Randy Lee because the entire thing is creepy, then you mix in the anger and sinality of Melnyck( the lack of professionalism from the PR department and the entire thing takes on this slimy, dirty, creepy feeling to it that Lee could of done without. If handled properly Lee doesn’t look so gross, but Ottawa doesn’t handle anything properly these days and that’s extremely frustrating as a fan

 

[BatherSeason]

This, and there is also the idea that PD has a little more information than we do about what went down. We can assume, I think, that he has Lee's side of the story.

It would be easy enough, and respectful of due process to not suspend him, or fire him, but staple him to a desk (like cops do) until this is sorted out. Telling the public that they were suspending him or changing his duties is akin to admitting questioning his innocence.

Consider also that this is not a serious charge and if guilty he will get a fine. This is not the level of severity where you send a guy home and tell the world you're doing it.

In this day and age yes you do send a guy home who is accused of what he is accused of.

 

[guyzeur]

In this day and age yes you do send a guy home who is accused of what he is accused of.

Nice to live in a world where everything is black and white, with no grey areas.

 

[Ice-Tray]

In this day and age yes you do send a guy home who is accused of what he is accused of.

You really are presenting yourself as a guilty-until-proven-innocent type of fellow in here, funny how that tune changes quick when it's you or someone you care about who's in those shoes. It's why you can't really be taken seriously on the issue, because we all know how full of BS that position is.

My point is that even without the benefit of any additional information, you can put a guy on 'light duty' and not have to announce the fact to the world. The organization shouldn't be talking at all about any of this with the media beyond the standard media releases until the issue is sorted out through court.

Of course we desire more information immediately, but we aren't getting that, and we shouldn't be getting that. Just accept that to course of justice is a path to protect both to accused and the victim until a decision can be rendered, not a source of lewd entertainment and gossip-mongering for internet dwellers.

 

[Cosmix]

Here's the article (<--- that's a link) in case anyone wants to read it.

Highlights:
1) Lee being a bit of a creep perv - tried to give the driver a massage (after the driver had asked him to stop), then pointed at his junk.
2) Melnyk, not Lee, was the one who hired Cambria as legal representation
3) Lee is being charged with 2nd degree harassment, which is not a crime in NY state.
4) DA said despite harassment not being terribly severe in legal terms, case could be very damaging for Lee's career.

Thank you for the link.

The reporter certainly painted a negative picture and I note he did not quote the source but instead seems to paraphrase what was in the statement.

If true, this creates a significant problem for Lee and the Senators.

I note the following statement in the article:
“After the May 30 arrest, the Ottawa Senators released a statement saying they hold all members of the organization to the highest standards. They also said they were reviewing the case with the greatest of care.”

I wonder what the Ottawa Senators think the “highest standards” are.

In any case, I think I will let the court decide what to do about this and refrain from any conclusions and reactions until the facts are established.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

It's still a disturbing pattern of behavior. We can't forget that April 28 tweet which stated Randy went after 2 CTC workers. The timestamp on that is a month before the Buffalo incident.

 

[Agent Zub]

It's still a disturbing pattern of behavior. We can't forget that April 28 tweet which stated Randy went after 2 CTC workers. The timestamp on that is a month before the Buffalo incident.

this.. it can't just be a coincidence.

 

[TheBradyBunch]

It's still a disturbing pattern of behavior. We can't forget that April 28 tweet which stated Randy went after 2 CTC workers. The timestamp on that is a month before the Buffalo incident.

Could you link that tweet, please? This is the first I've heard of it.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Could you link that tweet, please? This is the first I've heard of it.

Page 14, post 345.

 

[Liliaceae]

Could you link that tweet, please? This is the first I've heard of it.

Swordfishtrombone (@Al_Swerengen) | Twitter

click on tweets/replies

 

[FlyingJ]

Another tweet from the same guy:

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Randy Lee is very lucky he works for a high profile company. What he did sounds disgusting and this is the USA after all - if Lee had done what he had done and was poor and a minority he’d be charged with something more severe.

Celebrities or High Profile people, their reputations mean nothing. 23 years service and ‘character’ doesn’t mean you aren’t hiding a very dirt secret from everyone. Bill Cosby was America’s Dad, Louis CK was everyone’s favourite Grumpy-Uncle.

The big part of this is I don’t like how the Sens handled it (no pun intended) - Lee should of at least of been brought back to Ottawa for the summer and kept under lock and key for the summer. They seem to be dismissing it as a nothing-burger and it sends the completely wrong message.

Melnyck seems to be in a ‘me versus the world’ mentality right now and that’s very dangerous. When you think you have nothing to lose you surround yourself with the wrong types of people and your brain doesn’t think clearly to represent yourself or your business in the best way possible. I don’t think the Sens are taking this seriously and I don’t like how they have dealt with it - and that hurts Randy Lee because the entire thing is creepy, then you mix in the anger and sinality of Melnyck( the lack of professionalism from the PR department and the entire thing takes on this slimy, dirty, creepy feeling to it that Lee could of done without. If handled properly Lee doesn’t look so gross, but Ottawa doesn’t handle anything properly these days and that’s extremely frustrating as a fan

What Louis CK did isn't in the same ballpark as Cosby. And he never advanced on anyone if they told him not to.

Still gross shit, but there are levels to this stuff. Randy Lee is somewhere between the two.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

What a sick f***. Fire this incompetent asshole already.

This is the easiest lay up for the organization and they somehow fail at it.

 

[Qward]

As much as you want to, you cannot take a random tweet as factual information.

Even it is true, you cannot fire him because he is gay. No matter how "sick" or "gross" you may think it. If his behavior warrants discipline then proceed, but we have to wait until he has been heard in front of the court.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

As much as you want to, you cannot take a random tweet as factual information.

Even it is true, you cannot fire him because he is gay. No matter how "sick" or "gross" you may think it. If his behavior warrants discipline then proceed, but we have to wait until he has been heard in front of the court.

Who's advocating for firing him because he's gay? His orientation is not at issue here in the slightest.

 

[FlyingJ]

As much as you want to, you cannot take a random tweet as factual information.

Even it is true, you cannot fire him because he is gay. No matter how "sick" or "gross" you may think it. If his behavior warrants discipline then proceed, but we have to wait until he has been heard in front of the court.

I agree with the firs part of your post. But the rest? As Dzingelalltheway pointed out, firing him has nothing to do with the fact that he's (possibly) gay or bisexual given that he has a wife. If he were doing the same thing to women that he (allegedly) did to the driver in Buffao or arena staff as this person on Twitter claims it would be just as wrong. The issue is that the accused behaviour is inexcusable regardless of gender.

I maintain that, while he should not be fired until he's had his day in court, the organiztion should have absolutely suspended him until after the trial while conducting their own internal investigation. I hope they're doing the latter, but I'm not holding my breath. Especially not with Eugene "I miss Bill O'Reilly" Melnyk in charge.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

As much as you want to, you cannot take a random tweet as factual information.

Even it is true, you cannot fire him because he is gay. No matter how "sick" or "gross" you may think it. If his behavior warrants discipline then proceed, but we have to wait until he has been heard in front of the court.

Who the hell said to fire him because he is gay? Fire him because he a predatory asshole that is using his position to sexually harass young men.

 

[Qward]

Who's advocating for firing him because he's gay? His orientation is not at issue here in the slightest.

When one post is a tweet saying he "propositioning young "twink" looking men" followed by a poster saying "What a sick ****. " you can see where one might get the impression.

As I said, if he has been pulling a Kevin Spacey, that behavior is not tolerable and is grounds for dismissal.

I would just prefer we hear all the evidence before jumping to conclusions.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

With the “harassment” statement issued by the team and Melnyk hiring the lawyer, the damage is pretty much done.

Guilty or not, it doesn’t seem like the organization has much of a negative view of what he was accused of. Just a shameful display.

It really is amazing how this farce of an organization found a way to stoop lower.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Really looking forward to seeing Randy Lee front and center at the Dev camp this year.