Cedric Benson, left, and alleged victim Charles Clavens
Mark S. King at the Bilerico Project wants to know after Benson, a running back who played at UT and is now in the NFL, was arrested this week for beating the crap out of his “roommate” in Austin. NBC Sports reports that Benson was charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member:
“According to the affidavit, the roommate [Charles Clavens] was talking on a cell phone on a street corner at 5 a.m. when Benson approached him. Benson allegedly told him they ‘need to talk about their problems’ and then repeatedly hit him in the face. The police report said the roommate was bleeding from the mouth and possibly lost teeth.”
TMZ, for what it’s worth, adds: “Clavens claimed he and Benson began to talk and argue about their living arrangements when all of the sudden Clavens was struck on the left side of his face with a closed fist thrown by Benson. Clavens went on to say that Benson continued to strike him with several more closed fists all over Clavens face resulting in severe injury to his face. Clavens told police he was experiencing severe bleeding from the mouth, possible loss of teeth and massive swelling of the left cheek.”
Benson’s attorneys later alleged an extortion attempt, saying Clavens had threatened to go to the media (with what?) if Benson doesn’t settle.
The Daily Texan notes that this marks the sixth arrest for Benson, a running back who was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft and now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. And the Bilerico Project’s King wonders why Benson can’t stay out of trouble:
Here we have a man in a heterosexual-dominated field, who has a long time male roommate, who has problems with drugs and alcohol, and real anger issues when it comes to “talking out his problems.” Things that make you go “hmm.”
Do we try to understand Cedric Benson, because he may be a panicked gay man trapped in a living lie, or blame this on a culture of homophobia (internalized and otherwise), or mind our own damn business?
“Do we try to understand Cedric Benson, because he may be a panicked gay man trapped in a living lie, or blame this on a culture of homophobia (internalized and otherwise), or mind our own damn business?”
all three
Wow. Why would anyone jump to the conclusion that he’s gay? You are pathetic to think that. Guys have roommates all the time and they get in fights too. Granted most of them don’t end up in the hospital but please whoever came up with this gay thing needs to get a life.
And why, Lucy, is wondering whether or not someone is gay such a bad thing? The facts certainly suggest it, considering they were “roommates” for some time (even though Benson has a $7 million contract; how common is that, exactly?), the victim has allegedly threatened to “go to the media,” and there are now other details about his roommate appearing online that I suspect will be confirmed soon enough.
The more important point, I believe, is that gay domestic abuse is terribly under-reported because of the stigma associated with being gay (as evidenced by Lucy’s stubborn refusal to read between the lines). It’s too bad we live in a society where this victim isn’t being properly heard or protected, because no one wants to acknowledge the big black gay elephant in the room.
Mark S. King
MyFabulousDisease.com
(Writer of original posting on Bilerico)
How is Cedric Benson gay when he has a kid with a female. Roommate fights, guys have roomies too!y’all need to keep it moving with your BS. Point blank period!!!
No one cares about the roommate thig. The reason people are paying attention is that he was charged with family violence. Since they are not related, that indicates at least an alleged romantic relationship.
Part time gay is still gay. You can can it anything you want, (bi), but it’s still homosexual. Denial ain’t a river in Egypt, Lucy. Since when is calling deviant sexual behavior wrong a problem? Who died and left these people to redefine what is right and wrong?
And nizille, it is the duty of all responsible citizens to condemn wrong acts. This includes beating someone. That’s not something about which we should turn a blind eye. Two wrongs doesn’t make a right.
I had a brief tryst with Cedric in the men’s bathroom at the Salt Lick. I gave him a BJ and he popped in my eye. I asked for his phone number, but he just hit me.
Should I be scared? Will he come after me, too?
Ive heard the incident was indeed a domestic dispute between cohabitators. This pic also purportedly pictures clavens at a game watching party for his man.
https://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6706/ccgb.jpg
Cedric is to be blamed. He cannot blame the victim for outing him. If he had settled the dispute differently, then the police and the media would not have gotten involved. What did the victim do to cedric to trigger that response. Roommates fight all the times, but this seems beyond a simple fight. I am inclined to believe that romantic feelings were involved. Did he cheat on cedric? Cedric put him out a few days before the beat down. Why did he put him out? Also, if you put him out, why did you go look for him at 5:00 in the morning? What problems did he need to discuss? Cedric had/has deep romantic feelings for the victim.
No NFL player who’s been in the league a while has a male roommate ! I could understand a female but not a male because I doubt this guy makes the kind of money Benson does so why would Benson need a male roommate ! It damn sure not because Benson’s having trouble paying his rent ! Something odd and strange going on here and I’m willing to bet sexuality is a huge part of it !
@Camille- I am sure you have heard the term Down Low? A new book on it just came out. Just because someone has a child does not make him heterosexual. Closeted gay or bi or gay dudes do what they have to do to keep their stuff undercover. Some father a kid or two, get a girlfriend as a front, or even get married. It happens all the time. I know a dude who was married for several years, had three wonderful kids, and he was gay. His wife found the KY Jelly an d confronted him. He confessed. They divorced and she got paid. He’s a lawyer, she a psychiatric social worker. Don’t be naive. Peeps do a lot of keeping up appearances in th DL lifestyle.
Also, while th average Joe Blow may, for financial reasons have a male roommate who is not related to him or whatnot, men of Benson’s financial means don’t usually do that. Maybe Clavens was in dire financial straits and needed help. Under Texas law, roommates, whether related or unrelated, are said to “family.” No smoking gun there.
Someone wrote:
” No one cares about the roommate thing. The reason people are paying attention is that he was charged with family violence. Since they are not related, that indicates at least an alleged romantic relationship.”
Actually, it doesn’t indicate an alleged romantic relationship, or rule one out either. The laws concerning family violence also use the word “household” which is defined in the Family Code as: Sec. 71.005. “HOUSEHOLD. “Household” means a unit composed of persons living together in the same dwelling, without regard to whether they are related to each other.”
That is how room-mates, romantically involved or not, can be charged with family violence. I have actually heard of an assault in a jail cell which resulted in a family violence charge. 🙂
Lol, I grew up around Cedric Benson as a kid in elementary school & all the way through high school and I can most definitely tell you that he is not gay, and he doesn’t have any kids lmao!! Yall obviously have no idea what you are assuming but this does confirm however that all of you have no lifes which is the most amusing part of this whole thing..
HATERS WILL HATE ….ALL YOU PEOPLE HATEN….. DON’t KNOW YOUR A$$ FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND….CEDRIC BENSON IS NOT GAY!!!!!!!!!…..SO SNAP OUT OF IT ….WITH YOUR WHOREMONGERING HATING LIES …..AAAAAALL IT IS IS ……….J E L O U S Y……….LO T S SSSSSSSSS …………..AND…………… LOTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS ………..OF, J E L O U S Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JUST REMEMBER …………………..KARMA’S GOT YOUR NAME…….AAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL,THOSE THAT LIKE FAKE DRAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND FOR YOU CHARLES ………..SHAME ON YOU ,…………..YOU WOLF IN SHEEP CLOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JUDAS IS YOUR NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@TAM, If I am hearing your hysterical, all-caps verbal fit correctly, you believe Charles Claven, the gentleman hospitalized with multiple blunt force trauma to his freaking FACE after an unprovoked attack, is a “wolf in sheep clothing?” Too bad he didn’t wear the wold mask as well. It might have protected him from Benson’s brutal attack.
Cedic Benson is clearly violent and unhappy. I believe that unhappiness is a classic case of self loathing and internalized homophobia (Google it). I’m sure the facts will emerge soon enough.
Tam: Assault is against the law! Period
Can I get a GAY – men?
That man is GAY! for all yall “slow” women…..shame on you for not seeing thru this and i can ASSURE you yall have been with several gay men and didnt even know it..why..because of one word “stupid” and that you are.
@SafeWord that is some funny evidence
I think people who use all-CAPS to try to drive their garbage opinions home, should be beaten with a garden hose… while their gay live-in boyfriends watch lmao