Welcome to Spinster's, a podcast where we occasionally have to confront the past.

I'm Haley O'Shaughnessy.

Hi, guys.

Before we get started, this episode contains discussions and descriptions of sexual assault and domestic violence.

If you need to skip this one, please do.

We're sending you love, and we'll see you next time.

So yesterday, October 4th, marks four years

since Derek Rose's civil trial for sexual assault began. He wasn't at the proceedings in Los

Angeles on day one. He was in Houston, making his next debut in a preseason game.

One of the newest members of the team, Derek Rose, looking to resurrect his career in New York.

It's certainly not normal for a defendant to miss the start of their own trial, but Rose isn't just anybody.

He's a famous NBA player with many basketball accolades.

So the judge gave him permission.

It's not necessarily surprising for a famous person at a civil

trial. Still, five years later, I haven't forgotten any of the details of the Derek Rose case,

including this one, his absence. To me, it represents what we're going to talk about today.

A player is on trial for sexual assault, and on day one of the trial, he's not even in the state.

He's in a Knicks uniform, playing basketball with his team.

Business as usual.

Phil Jackson was the Knicks president at the time.

He traded for Rose that June, well after a woman filed a suit against him for, in part, breaking into her home and sexually assaulting her.

In late September, Jackson told reporters, quote, Derek has expressed that he's not concerned with it, and, quote, it's not keeping him up at night.

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