Tiger Woods...Right to Privacy?Follow

As a golfer, and a law student, I am absolutely gaga over this latest incident.

Some brief background:
Tiger Woods was injured in a single car accident over the weekend as his SUV crashed into a fire hydrant and then a neighbors tree. The Escalade was traveling under 33 miles per hour evidenced by the airbags not deploying. The initial story was that the Worlds Number One Athelete (WNOA) wrecked his vehicle and that his wife Elin used a golf club (ironic at the least, explained below) to smash out both back windows and free him. We were also told that "charges would be pending" but that there was no alcohol involved. This was the initial story...

As it developed we learned more. First off, there was some alleged infidelity on the part of WNOA as it was reported he was close with a famous New York socialite. The two were spotted in Australia where WNOA was participating in the Australian Open and were even rumored to be staying at the same hotel. This socialite has now lawyered up with the infamous Gloria Allred who is known to represent women in these situations and whose clients rarely leave the media spotlight.

WNOA's wife confronted WNOA and it appears that after some heated debate, WNOA decided to leave the house. His wife (after allegedly scratching up his face) was reported to have followed him out with a golf club and proceeded to attack his car which caused him to panic and in turn, he hit the hydrant and tree.

This was the story as it was told to the general public. However, as is the norm for these types of incidents, there are more layers of the onion to peel. Officers with the county sherrifs department have requested that WNOA and his wife grant them an interview. The pair have refused to do so on Saturday, and then shunned the police on Sunday as well. Now it is important to note that the 5th Amendment permits the two to say nothing about this incident unless a crime has occured. The police are still investigating at this time as they believe that some domestic violence has occured on the part of WNOA's wife and perhaps a DUI on the part of WNOA as it is rumored that he was on pain meds and his slipping in and out of unconsciousness may have been a result of said pain meds.

Lets pack the situation into a nice neat typical domestic violence scenario. WNOA's wife confronts WNOA on thanksgiving after the meal about an alleged affair as reported in the Enquirer. She confronts him with evidence from the alleged other womans friends and other (Credible?) sources. WNOA calmly tries to decompress the situation until his wife scratches his face. (It is rumored that WNOA told his friends that she "went ghetto" on him). At that point he got into his SUV and she promptly followed with a golf club smashing the car and his windows. Now the story said she smashed the windows in an effort to save him. The car was traveling under 33 MPH and pictures reveal that the RIGHT side of the car was damaged. She therefore could have simply opened the drivers side door and pulled him out. Instead, we are to believe that she smashed both back windows and dragged her 190 pound husband out the backseat through shattered glass. The "charges pending" as mentioned by the police are either against his wife for DV or for him on a DUI. We also had a report this morning that the sheriff's office is now seeking a warrant to obtain medical records to aid in the investigation and will be helpful for police when they try and determine if his injuries are consistent with the car accident or with some sort of domestic violence.

What we have is a woman scorned, her taking it out on her husband as he tried to leave the premises, and a massive cover up in an attempt to maintain his image as this perfect man with a perfect life.

The ironic aspect as I previously mentioned, is that the very same instrument used to MAKE his life, could have effectively been used to END his life... IRONY!

But I chose to author this post in an attempt to get at the real issue underlying this tragic, albeit humurous, story. Do public figures like this have a right to privacy when it appears that there was an altercation between family members, especially an altercation that does not involve anyone from the general public?

Most, will say yes absolutely, WNOA has a right to privacy when it comes to matters such as this. These incidents are simply fodder for a media hellbent on tearing into any public figure. It is none of our business who WNOA sleeps with and any domestic issue occuring within the home is off limits and private.

Counterpoint.

His sponsors, who pay him millions in endorsement money do so not just because he is an amazing and talented athlete. They do so because he is viewed as wholesome, and is deemed a family man and good citizen by the general public. If however, there is some truth to these alleged infidelity rumors, the sponsors may (unlikely) pull out (something WNOA should have done) out some of their endorsements at least for the near future until his PR team has a chance to cool this off. They have a right to know if the image he portrays is NOT the same image he lives up to.

Also, should someone like this be above the law? While I concede that the 5th amendment permits him and his family NOT to speak to police, why wouldnt he over a "minor" car accident if there is nothing else to hide? This is a risky strategic move on the part of his well paid PR and legal team that may work out in his favor. And maybe not. What does he have to hide? Simply being embarrased is not enough to quash the talks with police when they have already been scheduled and agreed to and then cancelled at the last minute. Twice.

The questions I pose are as follows...
1 - Does Tiger (WNOA) have a right to privacy in general?
2 - Does WNOA have a right to privacy as far as his sponsors are concerned?
3 - Should public figures be above the law?

This whole incident just has me absolutely fascinated and is especially useful as a way to procrastinate during finals time...

You are way too invested in this.

You are overlooking relevant state law which holds priority in this situation (legal forum!).

In Florida (where I am at currently), he is only required to give to the police his driver license information, vehicle registration and current proof of insurance. The law does not require him to talk to the police about it, and he has chosen not to do so.

He has a right to be left alone on this, and he is exercising that right.

1. No more so than any other citizen. If the information is on the public record, then media is free to examine the issue according to the facts. If you're going to point fingers at anyone, then point at the people the newspapers are catering to.
2. They have a right to the public record, but nothing beyond that.
3. Is this a real--dumb--question or rhetorical--pointless-question?

Thank you for that splendid example of fatuous, self-serving rationalization.

I was sincere!

Wait, that was just an example, right?

I saw it too. I chose not to comment as it just makes his/her post...well all the more humorous. Fail at an attempt to point out (in their opinion) that someone else failed? Epic.

Could turn it into a right-of-privacy-concerning-abortion thread.

It is in society's interest in order to prohibit abortions, since life starts at conception and to have an abortion is to commit murder!!!1111

Yeah. A typo is totally equivalent to a slobbering half-page exposition on a sports figure's private life.

Yeah.

It looks like he gets to take his break a bit earlier for the holidays. /jealous