JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A circuit courtroom decide in Florida dismissed a lawsuit filed by two girls in opposition to former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars that accused McManus of sexually assaulting them on the workforce’s abroad journey to London in 2023, in keeping with courtroom paperwork obtained by ESPN.
Choose Michael S. Sharrit granted a movement from McManus’ legal professional Tuesday by ruling that per Florida legislation the 2 girls’s use of pseudonyms — Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II — doesn’t meet “distinctive case” standards required to warrant celebration anonymity. Sharrit additionally wrote that “equity requires Plaintiffs be ready to face behind their expenses publicly in the identical manner Defendant McManus should brazenly refute them.”
The ruling gave the 2 girls 10 days to file an amended criticism utilizing correct title identification, which the legal professional for the 2 girls stated they might do.
“Most defendants in sexual assault instances file a lot of these motions pondering 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 girls don’t have any intention to run and conceal, and can adjust to the courtroom’s order in a well timed style. We look ahead to persevering with to pursue this essential case.”
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 menace of violence or bodily hurt if required to publicly litigate their claims.”
“We’re very happy with the courtroom’s order in reference to Mr. McManus’ movement to dismiss these baseless allegations,” McManus’ legal professional, Brett Gallaway, stated in a press release Tuesday. “We look ahead to him returning to the NFL enjoying subject as quickly as doable.”
The Jaguars stated they might not problem a press release in response to the decide’s ruling.
The ladies filed a lawsuit Might 28 in Duval County Circuit Civil Court docket accusing McManus of sexually assaulting them on the workforce’s chartered flight throughout an abroad journey to London in 2023. The lawsuit accused McManus of rubbing himself and grinding in opposition to them and the Jaguars of failing to oversee McManus and to create a secure atmosphere for employees serving the workforce. They had been searching for in extra of $1 million and demanded a jury trial.
In response to 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 became a celebration” as McManus and a number of 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 celebration and handed out $100 payments to encourage them to drink and dance inappropriately for him.
Doe I accused McManus of making an attempt to kiss her whereas she was seated throughout some flight turbulence and twice grinding up in opposition to her whereas she was serving the flight’s two meal companies, per the lawsuit. Doe I claimed through the first assault she made eye contact with one other Jaguars participant, whom she stated appeared ashamed at McManus’ conduct.
Doe II claimed McManus grinded up in opposition to 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 workforce’s flight from London to Jacksonville on Oct. 8.
The lawsuit stated it was the primary Jaguars constitution flight the 2 girls 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 attain, 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 employees, supervise him on the flight, undertake insurance policies and procedures to guard flight employees from sexual misconduct by its staff and implement a zero-tolerance coverage relating to inappropriate conduct.
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 subject purpose makes an attempt and all 35 of his further level makes an attempt final season, however the workforce didn’t re-sign him and he signed with the Washington Commanders on March 14.
