National Football League

Woman drops restraining order request against Ravens security chief

Published Jan. 6, 2015 3:15 p.m. ET

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A woman accusing the Baltimore Ravens security director of groping her at the team's stadium after a December game has dropped her request for a restraining order.

A lawyer for the 34-year-old cleaning service employee said Tuesday the woman is comfortable with letting prosecutors take the lead on the case against Darren Sanders.

"She's very confident he will be prosecuted and she's fine with that," lawyer Steven Heisler said. The Associated Press does not generally identify people who make allegations of sex crimes.

A judge in Baltimore honored the request and dismissed the proceedings for the potential restraining order.

The 48-year-old Sanders, who is a former Baltimore Police officer, was charged with a fourth-degree sex offense stemming from allegations that he grabbed the woman's breasts and buttocks and kissed her without consent while she was escorting him to his car.

Sanders denies the allegations, and has been placed on paid leave. Sanders had a role in the domestic violence case involving former Ravens running back Ray Rice, who is pursuing a grievance against the team over how the team handled his release for hitting his fiancee in a casino elevator in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Sanders' lawyer, Warren Alperstein, said nine witnesses were prepared to testify that Sanders did nothing wrong and acted appropriately the day of the game.

"We came to court with these witnesses to corroborate the truth," Alperstein said.

A trial is scheduled for Feb. 9.

A restraining order would have barred Sanders from M&T Bank Stadium for six months. The Ravens, who face the New England Patriots in a playoff game this weekend in Foxborough, Massachussetts, won't return to their home stadium until next season.

In her petition for a peace order the woman provided additional details of the alleged interaction with Sanders. She wrote in the petition that she smelled alcohol on his breath, and when she told him to stop touching her he replied that he "did what he wanted around here."

The woman wrote that became afraid for her and her family's safety after learning that Sanders is a former detective and officer with the Baltimore City Police Department.

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