Buccaneer CB Aqib Talib Says Accuser In Shooting Case Was Looking For A Payday

[SteveRobWhatever]

Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib says stress over his now-dismissed aggravated assault charge in Texas was "killing" him and he is grateful for the "clean slate" given to him by new coach Greg Schiano. Talib, in Atlanta participating in agent Todd France's annual football camp, told an Atlanta radio station that accuser Shannon Billings was unfairly targeting him in the March 2011 shooting case in which he was charged. "It was killing me, man," Talib, 26, said. "It was a bad situation where a guy had to say a couple lies to try to put an extra couple dollars in his pocket. But it was killing me, man. It was just a bad situation, and I'm just glad it's behind me." Talib was accused of firing a handgun during a domestic dispute with Billings, a former boyfriend of Talib's sister. Prosecutors in Dallas dropped the charge last week at least in part because of concerns about Billings' credibility, Talib's attorney said. Billings is currently in jail on unrelated charges.

Source: Tampa Bay Times