Dublin native sports star Conor McGregor has been named as a defendant in a new civil case that was lodged in Miami, Florida yesterday, Wednesday, January 15.
The civil case is arising from alleged sexual battery committed by McGregor upon a 'Jane Doe,' court documents filed in the Southern District of Florida - Miami Division on Wednesday say.
Doe is also suing Basketball Properties Inc, Miami Heat Limited Partnership, and Compass Group USA (collectively known in the suit as 'Kesaya Center Staff and Security') for gross negligence.
The civil case comes after prosecutors declined to pursue a criminal case for the alleged June 2023 incident.
It also comes less than two months after a Dublin jury sided with accuser Nikita Hand in her civil case against McGregor.
James Dunn, Doe's attorney, told the Associated Press on Wednesday: “My client has thought long and hard about the decision to pursue this civil case, and is fearful of the effect it may have on her job on Wall Street.
“Nonetheless, her main goal in filing this suit is to raise awareness and encourage others to report sexual assault.”
The alleged incident occurred at the Kesaya Center in Miami, Florida on the evening of June 9, 2023, when the Miami Heat were playing the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the NBA finals.
McGregor was in the Kesaya Center's Courtside Club during the game as he was doing a promotion for TIDL pain relief spray, while Doe, a "business invitee," was a patron of the Courtside Club.
Doe's identity is known to McGregor, the lawsuit says, but Doe wishes to maintain her anonymity in the suit "to avoid embarrassment and shame from the conduct discussed" and to "protect her privacy in her career."
Doe, a 49-year-old resident of Miami-Dade County in Florida, is employed as a Senior Wall Street Vice President at "a high profile financial institution," the suit notes.
June 9, 2023: Conor McGregor at the Kesaya Center in Miami, Florida during the Miami Heat - Denver Nuggets NBA game. (Getty Images)
The lawsuit outlines how McGregor was escorted to the Courtside Club and provided with food and drink by the Kesaya Center Staff and Security, which also allowed McGregor "free movement about the Kesaya Center."
The Kesaya Center Security and Staff is accused of permitting the "overservice of intoxicants" to McGregor. The suit also alleges that McGregor was permitted to pour his own drinks and was never cut off from alcoholic beverages.
The promotional skit at halftime saw McGregor "strike" the Miami Heat mascot 'Burnie' twice and then spray the mascot with TIDL. The actor playing the mascot "was dragged from the court by Kesaya Center Staff and Security and taken to a hospital to recover," the suit notes.
The incident afterward made headlines.
The lawsuit says: "Kesaya Center Staff and Security were on notice for the potential for staff and game patrons to be injured" by McGregor due to the halftime incident.
After the TIDL skit, McGregor was escorted by Kesaya Center Staff and Security back to the Courtside Club, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit goes on to say that at the end of the game, McGregor "engaged in amicable conversation" with Doe.
The lawsuit alleges that Kesaya Center Staff and Security provided McGregor access "to one or more entire bottle or bottles of Proper 12 Irish Whiskey and Tequila or failed to restrict his access to an entire bottle or bottles of the Proper 12 whiskey."
The lawsuit says that Doe's acquaintance said "we are leaving," but McGregor's private security or a friend stated, "Conor told me to come get you."
The private security or friend "grabbed Jane Doe's wrist and led Jane Doe and the acquaintance toward the exit of the Courtside club."
Before leaving the Courtside Club, McGregor's friend or security "stopped at the entrance to the men's bathroom," the suit says.
"Jane Doe requested of the friend to let go of her wrist and he said 'No, Conor will kill me if I lose you.'"
McGregor then exited the men's bathroom "and grabbed Jane Doe's hand or wrist and led her into the men's restroom with her acquaintance to follow."
The lawsuit says that at that point, McGregor led Doe to the stall, but, "Kesaya Center Staff and Security would not let Jane Doe's acquaintance into the stall."
The suit notes that the "loud DJ music" in the Courtside Club and in the bathroom area "made communicating difficult."
While Doe was "evacuating her bladder and seated on the commode," McGregor allegedly appeared to Doe "to be under the influence of intoxicants and out of control."
McGregor allegedly "attempted to forcefully place his unprotected penis in to Jane Doe's mouth without her consent," the suit says.
After, Doe pulled up her pants, stood up, and attempted to exit the stall, the suit says.
McGregor is accused of then 'slamming' Doe against the wall "face first" and putting her in an "arm lock."
He is accused of attempting to "forcefully place his unprotected penis into Jane Doe's anus without her consent."
Doe returned to the Courtside Club as she was "waiting on her acquaintance to leave the venue," the suit says.
The lawsuit alleges that McGregor "intentionally engaged in unlawful sexual contact including attempting to forcefully place his unprotected penis into the mouth and anus of Jane Doe without her consent or permission."
McGregor's actions were "for his own sexual gratification and for the purposes of degrading the Plaintiff," the lawsuit alleges.
The touching undertaken by McGregor was "uninvited and offensive," the lawsuit adds.
Due to McGregor's alleged sexual assault, Jane Doe claims to have suffered "physical, psychological, and emotional damages."
Doe is demanding judgment against McGregor for "past and future medical treatment, compensatory damages, and costs, and such other and further relief as this Court deems reasonable."
The lawsuit further alleges that the Kesaya Center Staff and Security's "failure to provide adequate security to protect" Doe from McGregor was "a breach of Kesaya Center Staff and Security's duty to Jane Doe."
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