The New York Post said on Friday that Zion Williamson
, a star for the New Orleans Pelicans, was charged with rape in a complaint that was filed this week in Los Angeles.The woman, named as Jane Doe from Seattle, claims in the lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court that Williamson sexually attacked her twice in 2020.
A 12-page filing by the plaintiff, who identifies herself as the NBA forward’s ex-girlfriend, claims that she was the victim of a pattern of “abusive, controlling and threatening behavior” in California, Louisiana, and other places.
The allegation also claims that Williamson, 24, threatened to have Doe’s parents assassinated and that his security guards would shoot Doe in the head. According to the lawsuit, Williamson was either intoxicated or under the influence of cocaine at the time of numerous of the claimed instances.
Sam Taylor of the Lanier Law Firm, Doe’s lawyer, told the Post on Friday, “Our client is very adamant about this — it’s not her desire or our desire to litigate this case in the press.” “The accusations show that this is a really serious situation. Our client eagerly awaits her day in court so she can tell a jury what happened to her, what she went through for this defendant, and how she will obtain justice.
Michael Balascio, Williamson’s lawyer, made the following statement:
We categorically deny these accusations, which we take very seriously. “The accusations in the complaint are blatantly untrue and careless,” Balascio wrote, according to Front Office Sports. “This is the third legal team the plaintiff has hired. Instead of a valid complaint, this seems to be an attempt to take advantage of a professional athlete for financial gain.
Although Mr. Williamson and the plaintiff never dated, they did have a casual, consensual connection that started when he was eighteen years old, more than six years ago. Years have passed since that romance ended. The plaintiff didn’t voice any concerns during or right after that connection. It was only after the friendship ended that she started to seek millions of dollars.
According to Williamson’s lawyer, his client obtained an arrest warrant after filing a police report accusing Doe of extortion. According to his lawyer, Williamson will submit a counterclaim and ask for “significant damages” in Doe’s case.