Los Angeles Clippers superstar James Harden is reportedly a defendant in an ugly lawsuit that alleges his nephew used a date rape drug on female partygoers at the NBA stars house. And security looked to cover it up.
The Athletic broke the news this week of a suit filed with the Harris County, Texas District Clerk by Marisa Watley. The woman claims she and two friends — who are named as witnesses in the suit — attended an afterparty at Harden’s Houston home on New Year’s Eve.
After arriving at the house, the three women were invited into the NBA star’s “studio,” where his nephew, Justice Armani Blackburn, offered them a mysterious drink from a bottle. After ingesting the beverage, the trio alleges they passed out.
In court documents, Watley says her memory became “extremely hazy” from that point on, but claims she was “shocked into consciousness” from being raped by Blackburn. The plaintiff’s two friends were allegedly escorted out by security and not allowed to reenter to check on her. At that time, they say they saw James Harden drive away from the home.
James Harden net worth: $200 million
The suit adds that the two ejected friends could see other women passed out in the home in plain sight. The friends were able to use back channels to contact Blackburn’s mother. And talk to security about Watley being in the house. But security staff reportedly claimed she was not in the house despite the facts proving otherwise.
“Since New Year’s Day, when I reported the rape by Mr. Blackburn to the police, I have remained puzzled by how Mr. Harden’s security behaved that day. It is painful to imagine that this all could have been stopped in time,” Watley said in a statement to The Athletic. “I hope this complaint pushes security employees generally to act more responsibly when women are in danger.”
The lawsuit claims Harden is “vicariously liable for the actions of his guards and their corporate employer.” Watley is looking for a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages. The 11-time All-Star did not respond to the outlet when looking for comment on the suit.
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