Shawne Merriman should know what happens to successful men who beat women. After witnessing Chris Brown’s public fall from grace due to his abusive relationship with Rhianna, it would seem Merriman would understand the consequences of assaulting a woman. But early Monday morning, Sept. 7, Merriman was arrested after reality star Tila “Tequila” Nguyen accused him of battery and false imprisonment.
Since the arrest, Merriman and Nguyen have both given conflicting accounts about what happened. Merriman denied hurting Nguyen and said that he was preventing her from driving drunk. Nguyen fired back through Twitter, claiming that she doesn’t drink due to an alcohol allergy. However, the owner of Stingaree nightclub disputed Nguyen’s statement, saying that she was “visibly intoxicated” that evening.
The truth will eventually surface, but Merriman is already guilty. He’s guilty of not calling a cab or having a driver present to take Nguyen home. He’s guilty of putting himself in a situation where he was alone with an intoxicated person. And most importantly, he’s guilty of having a relationship with someone who could gain tremendously if he ever made an error in judgement.
Merriman and other high-profile athletes and entertainers must carry themselves as if they are a brand that has to be protected at all times. When will brothers learn that the company that they keep and the situations that they put themselves in can destroy the brand that they have worked so hard to build? –a.r.
