June 24, 2025
His nephew is being accused of sexual assault throughout a celebration that came about at his Texas residence
In a sexual assault lawsuit filed in opposition to his nephew, Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden is being sued for negligence, allegedly attributable to how his safety group dealt with the scenario on the NBA participant’s home.
In line with a information launch by the alleged sufferer’s attorneys, Wigdor LLP and Ellwanger Henderson, Marisa Watley has accused Harden’s nephew of sexually assaulting her at a New 12 months’s Eve celebration that came about on the basketball participant’s Houston residence in 2024. She can also be suing the Clippers guard for negligence in the identical lawsuit.
Watley has alleged that Justice Armani Blackburn, Harden’s nephew, sexually assaulted her throughout that celebration when she was unconscious on the mansion. The authorized paperwork was filed June 23 in Harris County, Texas.
“Ms. Watley has proven nice energy and braveness in coming ahead to carry Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden accountable for what occurred to her on New 12 months’s Day 2025 in Mr. Harden’s mansion,” stated Michael J. Willemin and John S. Crain (of Wigdor LLP) and Jay Ellwanger and Kaylyn Betts (of Ellwanger Henderson) in a written assertion.
“This rape was instantly reported to the police, and we’ll carry Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden to justice via the civil justice system.”
The plaintiff has acknowledged that Harden’s safety group had eliminated two of Watley’s mates, who had been on the celebration along with her. After being kicked out, they insisted that Watley was nonetheless inside. After they contacted Elaina Watley, the alleged sufferer’s sister, in order that she may communicate to somebody about it, she despatched a photograph of Marisa to confirm that she was nonetheless within the mansion.
Safety informed Elaina that somebody was with Blackburn, nevertheless it wasn’t Marisa. But, within the lawsuit, Marisa is saying that the lady they declare wasn’t her was her, and if they’d acted responsibly after they had been contacted, the alleged assault wouldn’t have taken place.
“Since New 12 months’s Day, once I reported the rape by Mr. Blackburn to the police, I’ve remained puzzled by how Mr. Harden’s safety behaved that day—it’s painful to think about that this all may have been stopped in time, stated Marisa. I hope this criticism pushes safety workers typically to behave extra responsibly when ladies are in peril.”
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