JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A circuit court docket decide in Florida dismissed a lawsuit filed by two ladies towards former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars that accused McManus of sexually assaulting them on the group’s abroad journey to London in 2023, based on court docket paperwork obtained by ESPN.
Decide Michael S. Sharrit granted a movement from McManus’ lawyer Tuesday by ruling that per Florida legislation the 2 ladies’s use of pseudonyms — Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II — doesn’t meet “distinctive case” standards required to warrant social gathering anonymity. Sharrit additionally wrote that “equity requires Plaintiffs be ready to face behind their prices publicly in the identical method Defendant McManus should overtly refute them.”
The ruling gave the 2 ladies 10 days to file an amended grievance utilizing correct title identification, which the lawyer for the 2 ladies stated they might do.
“Most defendants in sexual assault circumstances file most of these motions considering that the victims will not proceed in the event that they need to publicly reveal their names,” Tony Buzbee stated in a press release to ESPN. “We anticipated this ruling. To be clear, these ladies don’t have any intention to run and conceal, and can adjust to the court docket’s order in a well timed style. We look ahead to persevering with to pursue this essential case.”
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Sharrit’s order additionally stated the ladies’s reliance on the specter of bodily hurt if revealing their names to be “largely speculative” and there “has been no exhibiting that both Jane Doe I or Jane Doe II face any particular or imminent risk of violence or bodily hurt if required to publicly litigate their claims.”
“We’re more than happy with the court docket’s order in reference to Mr. McManus’ movement to dismiss these baseless allegations,” McManus’ lawyer, Brett Gallaway, stated in a press release Tuesday. “We look ahead to him returning to the NFL taking part in discipline as quickly as doable.”
The Jaguars stated they might not subject a press release in response to the decide’s ruling.
The ladies filed a lawsuit Might 28 in Duval County Circuit Civil Courtroom accusing McManus of sexually assaulting them on the group’s chartered flight throughout an abroad journey to London in 2023. The lawsuit accused McManus of rubbing himself and grinding towards them and the Jaguars of failing to oversee McManus and to create a secure setting for employees serving the group. They have been searching for in extra of $1 million and demanded a jury trial.
In line with the lawsuit, the ladies labored as flight attendants on the Jaguars’ Sept. 28, 2023, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings constitution flight and so they declare the flight “shortly changed into a celebration” as McManus and several other different gamers disregarded the flight attendants’ private house, air journey security and federal legislation. The lawsuit additionally claimed McManus recruited three different flight attendants to the social gathering and handed out $100 payments to encourage them to drink and dance inappropriately for him.
Doe I accused McManus of attempting to kiss her whereas she was seated throughout some flight turbulence and twice grinding up towards her whereas she was serving the flight’s two meal providers, per the lawsuit. Doe I claimed through the first assault she made eye contact with one other Jaguars participant, whom she stated seemed ashamed at McManus’ habits.
Doe II claimed McManus grinded up towards her whereas she was serving the flight’s second meal service. Per the lawsuit, Doe II confronted McManus, who “smirked and walked away.” The lawsuit claimed Doe II remained within the plane’s second story to keep away from McManus on the group’s flight from London to Jacksonville on Oct. 8.
The lawsuit stated it was the primary Jaguars constitution flight the 2 ladies labored and so they have skilled extreme psychological anguish, anxiousness, psychological and emotional misery, embarrassment and humiliation. They’ve been faraway from the core crew that staffs Jaguars constitution flights, which is one thing they labored onerous to realize, the lawsuit claimed.
The lawsuit claimed the Jaguars dedicated gross negligence by failing to correctly rent McManus, practice him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight workers, supervise him on the flight, undertake insurance policies and procedures to guard flight workers from sexual misconduct by its workers and implement a zero-tolerance coverage concerning inappropriate habits.
McManus signed with the Jaguars on Might 5, 2023, after he was launched by the Denver Broncos, on a one-year contract value $2 million. McManus made 30 of 37 discipline purpose makes an attempt and all 35 of his further level makes an attempt final season, however the group didn’t re-sign him and he signed with the Washington Commanders on March 14.
