Portland Timbers, Andy Polo case

Michael Fuller, the legal professional for the estranged spouse of Andy Polo, stated the Portland Timbers pressured his shopper to not press home violence fees in opposition to her husband.

Fuller launched an audio recording that he says is of a Timbers consultant making an attempt to persuade Genessis Alarcon to not file the costs in opposition to Polo.

In response to a report from the Washington County (Oregon) Sheriff’s Division, on Could 23, 2021, Polo was “issued a quotation in lieu of arrest for harassment after grabbing onto [Alarcon’s] wrist.” The quotation is classed as a B misdemeanor. The Timbers terminated Polo’s contract on Feb. 10, a day after suspending him.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Alarcon stated that round two weeks later, Jim McCausland, the Timbers’ head of safety, and an unidentified feminine consultant from the Timbers visited Alarcon on the dwelling she shared with Polo to debate the case. Within the recording, which Fuller posted on Twitter, a feminine voice is talking to an individual believed to be Alarcon.

The individual, with the assistance of an interpreter, explains the costs in opposition to Polo. After explaining it will likely be as much as Alarcon as as to whether she is going to press fees, the purported Timbers consultant stated: “In fact, we’re hoping you say no, you don’t [want to press charges].”

In one other recorded excerpt, obtained by ESPN, the purported Timbers consultant informed Alarcon that she must testify in entrance of a decide or jury at a trial that might final so long as two days. Nowhere within the excerpt does it point out the likelihood that Polo might enter a plea and keep away from a trial.

The discharge of the recording comes in the future after Alarcon was interviewed by a legislation agency Main League Soccer has retained to investigate the Timbers’ handling of the domestic violence case. In his tweet, Fuller indicated that he has turned over “all our recordsdata” to MLS investigators, and to native station KATU.

Requested to remark concerning the recording, a Timbers spokesperson stated by way of textual content message that the group “will decline additional remark till the MLS assessment is full.”

The discharge of the recording seems to bolster claims Alarcon made beforehand to ESPN. Alarcon informed ESPN that throughout the aforementioned assembly with the 2 Timbers representatives, they informed her they might guarantee that she and her two kids can be housed and fed, however that it was understood that this might be completed in alternate for her not pursuing a felony case in opposition to Polo.

“They had been going to assist me, and ensure me and my youngsters did not get left on the road,” Alarcon informed ESPN with the assistance of an interpreter. “They had been going to guarantee that Andy was going to be liable for me and my youngsters, nevertheless it by no means occurred. I used to be informed this might be in alternate for not urgent fees.”

Alarcon later added by her legal professional, Fuller, that she did not intend to press fees — although the Timbers did not but know that — as a result of she “did not wish to negatively influence the kids.”

In response to the allegations Alarcon made in her interview with ESPN, the Timbers issued a denial Wednesday evening: “Whereas the Timbers supplied help to Mr. Polo, Ms. Alarcon and their kids throughout a troublesome time, there was by no means any suggestion — expressly or implicitly — that the help was supplied in alternate for consideration by Ms. Alarcon. The Timbers would by no means condone or take part in such conduct.”

The recording would seem to undercut the Timbers’ assertion.

Earlier this month, Alarcon filed a home violence lawsuit in U.S. District Court docket in opposition to Polo. The swimsuit makes claims of assault, battery and negligence, and seeks “truthful compensation for noneconomic damages in an quantity decided by the jury to be affordable, and taxable prices.” Fuller informed ESPN that Polo had been served discover of the lawsuit on Wednesday in Portland.

When requested if there have been any plans to amend the grievance by including the Timbers as defendants, Fuller stated by way of textual content message, “All choices stay on the desk.”

Polo has denied Alarcon’s allegations. Studies out of Peru point out Polo has signed with Lima-based facet Membership Universitario de Deportes, with whom he made his skilled debut as a 16-year-old.