I can believe Shaq has committed crimes before. Maybe an illegal download here or a nice jaywalking session there. Who knows? On nights when he was feeling a little crazy, maybe even a public urination.

But ordering murders?

Robert Ross, the same ex-gang member who claims that Shaq had him kidnapped in 2008, has filed a lawsuit that claims among other allegations that Shaq also masterminded a series of murders, according to TMZ.

In the suit, Ross alleges, “For many years O’Neal requested and directed [Ross] to perform many personal favors and directed him to perform various tasks including, but not limited to: ordering [Ross] to kill a member of the Downtown Gangster Crips who had disrespected O’Neal in front of his wife Shaunie.”

O’Neal is also accused of issuing “an order to kill a woman whom O’Neal had impregnated and paid for her abortion” and “an order to kill a renown record producer.”

Ross also alleges that O’Neal issued “an order to break an NBA player’s shooting arm.” …

Shaq’s lawyer, Michael J. Kump, tells TMZ … “The outlandish claims by Robert Ross in his civil complaint are pure fiction.  Shaquille O’Neal befriended Mr. Ross in an attempt to help turn his life around.  Sadly, Mr. Ross abused that friendship again and again.

Kump adds, “Shaquille’s commitment to law enforcement is well-known and documented.  He will not dignify these defamanatory allegations with a response.”

Unbelievable? Yes. Shocking? Entirely. Any reason for us to listen to a word Robert Ross says? Umm, I don’t think so. This is a civil lawsuit brought by a former gang member reported solely by TMZ. In basketball speak, that’s like a trade rumor started by Jerome James’s third cousin and reported solely by Perez Hilton. Perhaps Ross is telling the truth, but the Ross-TMZ combination doesn’t exactly scream “reliable.”

I’ll still pay attention to this case because, well, SHAQ IS ACCUSED OF ORCHESTRATING MURDERS! But it sounds a lot like a former gang member trying to make some easy dough.

P.S. – The weirdest part of the story is Shaq’s friendship with Ross. When most NBA players want to help turn somebody’s life around, they donate time or money to a youth organization. They donate turkeys at Thanksgiving or gifts at Christmas. They don’t find a gangster and take him underneath their wing.

Related posts:

1. Shaq refutes lawsuit that calls him computer hacker
2. TMZ gets creative and misleading with a nasty headline about Shaq
3. Shaq getting sued for computer hacking and destruction of evidence?
4. Shaq wants to be a Celtic: Should they want him?
5. Should Celtics give Shaq a longer look?

4 Responses to “Lawsuit alleges that Shaq ordered murders”

1. Boston Celtics Daily Links 7/16 | Celts Hub says:

   July 16, 2011 at 2:22 pm

   [...] Express Excitement of Making Team After Surviving Final Round of Tryouts (Video) Celtics Town  Lawsuit alleges that Shaq ordered murdersE’Twaun Moore headed to [...]

   Like or Dislike: 0  0
2. paul says:

   July 16, 2011 at 4:29 pm

   Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

   Ok, I have to comment. Then you can go ahead and eliminate my comment, as usual. And it’s not like you really give a damn about good writing and good reporting, but you commit two glaring fallacies here. First, you basically assume that being a gang member makes someone ipso facto a liar. Second, you basically assume that being a successful person in society makes Shaq ipso facto a truth teller. Ok, fine, if you want to just assume that anyone in the overclass is great and anyone in the underclass is slime, that pretty much shows what your character is.

   That said, Ross’ story is hard to believe simply because, if Ross really thought that Shaq was such a killer, I doubt if he’d be going public with all this. It would seem a lot like painting a target on his back. I don’t doubt that Shaq COULD be a killer, though I have no reason to think he is. But Ross’ charges don’t seem to ring true on the face of them.

   Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike: 0  4
   • Jay P. says:

     July 16, 2011 at 11:41 pm

     You are the most holier than thou, self assuming, pretentious jack ass I have ever encountered.

     Like or Dislike: 0  1
3. Boston Celtics Daily Links 7/16 « NBA News Report says:

   July 18, 2011 at 12:51 pm

   [...] Express Excitement of Making Team After Surviving Final Round of Tryouts (Video) Celtics Town  Lawsuit alleges that Shaq ordered murdersE’Twaun Moore headed to [...]

   Like or Dislike: 0  0