[11-21-97 Fri] The three NFL Patriots players who caused a woman to suffer injuries sending her to the hospital last week from stagediving at an Everclear concert will not face any charges. The players, starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, back up quarterback Scott Zolak, and offensive lineman Max Lane will not be charged by police in the incident.
As reported earlier, the three players hopped on stage near the end of Everclear's concert at Boston's Paradise nightclub, and leapt into the crowd. Lane supposedly landed on 23-year-old Tameeka Messier, who was then sent to the hospital for injuries to her neck, shoulders, and arms. Messier underwent surgery to have two discs in her neck replaced by a bone fragment from her hip earlier this week.
The investigation is now being focused on the Paradise, which could have its license suspended if it is discovered that the club was responsible for Messier's injuries.
The players said that they were invited onstage by Everclear, but frontman Art Alexakis recently issued a statement saying that the band did not invite the players to come onstage, and that the band stopped the show immediately after the incident. "We had no idea that Drew and the other Patriots were going to come on stage and not in our wildest dreams did we ever think that they were going to stage dive," he said. "While we have the utmost respect for Drew, the New England Patriots and the management of the Paradise, we cannot condone any actions which put the safety of our fans in jeopardy." Also very recently, Bledsoe offered an apology over the radio for any "embarrassment" the incident may have caused to his team, but reportedly not for any injuries it may have caused.
Everclear - November 21, 1997
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