Zion Williamson is being sued by a woman describing herself as a former dating partner and who alleges the New Orleans Pelicans star committed repeated sexual violence against her.<\/p>\n
The civil lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday night, identifies the plaintiff as \u201cJane Doe.\u201d She claims she began dating Williamson in 2018, when he played at Duke, and alleges that he engaged in abusive behavior toward her in California, Louisiana and Texas from 2020 until their relationship ended in 2023.<\/p>\n
Williamson’s New Orleans-based attorney, Michael Balascio, called the claims in the lawsuit \u201ccategorically false and reckless,\u201d and accused the plaintiff of extortion, which he said has been reported to law enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,\u201d Balascio said in a written statement provided to The Associated Press. \u201cThis appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawsuit alleges that the first instance of sexual violence occurred in a home Williamson had rented in Beverly Hills, California.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson temporarily took the plaintiff’s mobile phone from her after the first two instances of forced intercourse and also took her laptop after the second.<\/p>\n
The complaint includes accusations of strangulation, death threats to the plaintiff and her family, and physical abuse, including being kicked, slammed with a car door, and suffocated until she lost consciousness.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re going to be very cautious about litigating this in the press,\u201d said the plaintiff’s attorney, Sam Taylor II, who is with the Lanier Law Firm in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a very serious case as reflected in the allegations in the complaint, which are pretty detailed,\u201d Taylor continued, adding that his client \u201cgenuinely looks forward to her day in court when she can tell a jury of her peers what happened to her and seek justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages \u2014 including punitive damages \u2014 for emotional distress.<\/p>\n
Balascio said Williamson and the plaintiff \u201cnever dated, but did maintain a consensual, casual relationship that began more than six years ago,\u201d when Williamson was 18.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt no point during or immediately after that relationship did the plaintiff raise any concerns,\u201d Balascio said, adding that \u201conly after the friendship ended did she begin demanding millions of dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williamson also intends to file counterclaims and \u201cseek significant damages for this defamatory lawsuit,\u201d Balascio said.<\/p>\n
A Pelicans spokesman said the club was aware of the matter but deferred comment to Williamson\u2019s lawyer.<\/p>\n
Williamson was the first player picked in the 2019 draft. In six years as a pro, he has averaged 24.7 points per game. But has played in only 214 of 472 regular season games \u2014 and no playoff games \u2014 during that span because of a series of injuries, one of which caused him to miss the entire 2021-22 season.<\/p>\n
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