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Baxter Holmes, ESPN Elder Author
A Tennessee lady submitted a federal claim Tuesday implicating James Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden and guv of the New York City Knicks and New York City Rangers, of pressing her into undesirable sex almost a years back while likewise assisting in an encounter with disgraced Hollywood manufacturer Harvey Weinstein, who she likewise declared sexually attacked her.
In the claim, submitted in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and acquired by ESPN, Kellye Croft states she was 27 and working as a certified massage therapist when she satisfied Dolan in fall 2013 while on a trip with a rock band, the Eagles. (Dolan’s band, JD & & The Straight Shot, opened for the Eagles throughout the trip.)
Throughout one encounter, the claim declares, Dolan ended up being “very assertive, and forced Ms. Croft into undesirable sexual relations with him.” In subsequent encounters, the claim declares, Croft was summoned to Dolan’s space, where he made “unwanted advances towards Ms. Croft, and she felt bound to send to sex with him.”
Croft declared that in January 2014, Dolan assisted schedule her to take a trip to Los Angeles to sign up with the trip. There, Croft declared, she satisfied Weinstein at The Beverly Hills Hotel where Dolan was spending for her to remain. Weinstein, she declared, presented himself as one of Dolan’s “friends,” then asked whether she was the massage therapist that Dolan had actually discussed and formerly applauded.
She implicated Weinstein of sexually attacking her at the hotel, after which she notified Dolan, who apparently reacted by informing her that Weinstein was “a distressed individual” with “major concerns.” The event preceded Weinstein being founded guilty for many years of sexual assault following investigative reports in 2017 by both The New York City Times and The New Yorker.
That declared event likewise preceded remarks by Dolan that he was uninformed Weinstein, who had actually been a friend, was apparently a serial abuser of ladies. In 2018, Dolan, who functioned as a member of the board of directors of The Weinstein Business in 2015 and 2016, launched a tune with atrioventricular bundle entitled, “I Ought to’ve Understood,” which he later on linked, in part, to Weinstein.
ESPN normally does not call victims of sexual attacks, however Croft released a public declaration Tuesday, stating in part, “James Dolan controlled me, brought me to California to abuse me, and after that set me up for a vicious attack by Weinstein. My hope is that my claim will require Dolan to acknowledge what he did to me and to take obligation for the damage he has actually triggered.”
Croft, now 38, is looking for a jury trial and undefined damages.
E. Danya Perry, a lawyer for Dolan, dismissed the claims.
” There is definitely no benefit to any of the claims versus Mr. Dolan. Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a relationship,” Perry composed in a declaration offered to ESPN. “The recommendations to Harvey Weinstein are just suggested to irritate and seem plagiarized from previous cases versus Mr. Weinstein. These claims show an act of retaliation by a lawyer who has actually brought several cases versus Mr. Dolan and has actually not won, and can not win, a judgment versus him. Mr. Dolan constantly thought Ms. Croft to be an excellent individual and marvels she would accept these claims.
” Bottom line, this is not a he said/she stated matter and there is engaging proof to support our position. We eagerly anticipate showing that in court.”
Jennifer Bonjean, a legal representative for Weinstein, stated in a declaration offered to ESPN that Weinstein “emphatically rejects the meritless claims in the just recently submitted claim. We eagerly anticipate prosecuting this case in a law court where the reality will be exposed.”
Weinstein, who was initially sentenced to 23 years in jail for sexual attack, had an extra 16 years included on in 2015 for rape and sexual attack in a different case.
Throughout a press conference Tuesday to reveal that the 2026 NBA All-Star Video game will be held at the LA Clippers’ soon-to-open Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reacted to an ESPN press reporter’s concern about the claim.
” I saw the post and do not understand anything else about it besides I check out the post,” Silver stated, “so we’ll wait and wait to learn more details.”
In a declaration to ESPN, Douglas H. Wigdor, a legal representative for Croft, reacted to Silver’s remarks.
” That is a perplexing action for the Commissioner to make,” Wigdor informed ESPN. “No trusted chairperson in business America would ‘wait’ and ‘wait’ after checking out that a federal problem was submitted versus among their executives declaring sexual attack and sex trafficking. The NBA and the NHL for that matter need to be no various. We are completely prepared to take part in any reasonable and objective examination by both commissioners as these claims pertain to the stability and public self-confidence of the particular leagues.”
ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk added to this report.