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

WWLTV.com

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.


No one from the Saints responded to requests for comments on the e-mail.

http://www.wwltv.com/sports/stories/....2162b664.html