Saints owner says he won't return to Baton Rouge after fearing for his life

Saints Owner Tom Benson says he won’t attend any more Saints games in Baton Rouge after he claims he feared for his life in some terrifying encounters with fans after the game.

Saints owner Tom Benson lunges at the Channel 4 camera, knocking it down and causing a microphone to fall off the equipment. Benson also got into a verbal argument with a fan.

In an e-mail that league sources say Benson sent to the NFL Commissioner and other high-ranking officials, he complained about a lack of security and a confrontation with obscenity-hurling fans.

“My trip to Baton Rouge was a total disaster…” he wrote. “We were attacked by hecklers who shouted at me and my party and put my wife and family in danger.”

Benson also claims that several cameras were impeding his departure from the stadium.

“If it had not been for my grandson and his friend, we could have been killed,” said the e-mail.

The e-mail apparently referenced the situation captured by WWL-TV cameras that showed the owner lunging at, grabbing and forcing down an Eyewitness News camera. Benson then engaged at least one fan in a vulgar confrontation, while his grandson blocked the camera from filming the episode.

Eyewitness News’ Lee Zurik said his cameraman was positioned between seven and ten feet from Benson and was not in the way of the route Mr. Benson and his party were taking to leave.

As for security, LSU athletic officials told Eyewitness News that the NFL and Saints informed them that there was no need to provide extra security because Mr. Benson had his own.

Accompanying Benson on Sunday after the game, were at least three members of his security team including: the chief detective of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department, Fred Williams, former Deputy Chief of the New Orleans Police Department Gerry Ursin, plus one current Jefferson Parish Sheriff's deputy.

And then there is this....

About face: Benson not ruling out attending Saints games in Baton Rouge

The Saints say owner Tom Benson has not yet decided whether he will be at Sunday's game in Baton Rouge, and frustration caused him to send an e-mail to the NFL saying he would not attend any more games at LSU's Tiger Stadium this season or next.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said that Benson was upset by his treatment from fans after the Saints' 21-6 loss to Miami on Sunday in Baton Rouge.

Benson, who attended the game with his wife, Gayle, granddaughter and grandson, was involved in an altercation with a WWL-TV cameraman and a fan as the owner and his family left the stadium near the end of the game.

Copies of Benson's e-mail to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, were obtained by The Times-Picayune and WWL-TV in New Orleans.

In the e-mail, Benson called security at Tiger Stadium "inadequate to nonexistent" and claimed that he and his family members "could have all been severely injured or killed."

"I will not return to Baton Rouge for any reason, including any games scheduled for the end of this season or a contemplated next season," Benson said in the e-mail. "No person, much less the owner of NFL team, should have either he, his family or his friends subjected to this form of danger, intimidation and abuse. I was advised not to go but wanted to support the league."

"Mr. Benson did write a message Sunday night to the commissioner expressing his concern about the incident that occurred following the game," Bensel said. "It was an emotional and distressing situation and very unfortunate for him and his family. His comments to the commissioner relayed his frustration and at this time he has not yet made a decision on his plans for this weekend's game."

As he and his party were leaving the Miami game, Benson lunged at a WWL-TV camera, knocking it down and causing a microphone to fall off. Then, he had a shouting match with a nearby fan.

LSU Police Chief Ricky Adams said his department had a regularly scheduled conference call with officials from the Saints and the NFL on Thursday.
Br> "There were no complaints or displeasure at all expressed by the NFL or the Saints about the level of security for last week's game," Adams said. "No one from the Saints requested security for Mr. Benson himself from the local law enforcement agencies. We were advised that he provided his own."

Adams has been involved in security planning for LSU football for 22 years. The stadium holds more than 90,000 for LSU football and thousands more take part in tailgate parties outside the stadium spanning from Friday night to Sunday morning on football weekends.

"We're very practiced at stadium security. Sunday's game was standard," Adams said.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said he is not aware of any security concerns in Baton Rouge and said league officials "are not going to discuss communication between owners and our office."

The NFL said it plans no action against Benson.

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL110305benson.262a78fd.html

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