Shannon Sharpe is a vital member of ESPN’s team for First Take, the popular sports debate show where he can often be found going head-to-head with Stephen A. Smith on a number of topics.
Sharpe’s media career has taken off following an NFL career that saw him earn a gold jacket with his selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Unfortunately for Sharpe, a lawsuit has surfaced that could bring everything crashing down.
According to Pro Football Talk, Sharpe was sued for eight figures on Sunday by a woman proceeding under the “Jane Doe” pseudonym.
The 13-page civil complaint alleges that Sharpe committed assault, sexual assault, battery, and sexual battery, and engaged in the intentional infliction of emotional distress on the lawsuit’s filer.
The lawsuit’s first page reads: “A woman can say “yes” to consensual sexual relations with a man ninety-nine times, but when she says ‘no’ even once, that ‘no’ means no. Defendant Shannon Sharpe, a man who is accustomed to getting what he wants, completely fails to understand this basic concept.
“After many months of manipulating and controlling Plaintiff—a woman more than thirty years younger than he—and repeatedly threatening to brutally choke and violently slap her, Sharpe refused to accept the answer no and raped Plaintiff, despite her sobbing and repeated screams of ‘no.’”
The lawsuit is seeking a minimum of $50 million in damages for Sharpe’s alleged actions. However, if things go to a trial and if there is a recovery, the final number will be determined by a jury and based on the evidence and the law, meaning it could theoretically be anything.
It’s an extremely concerning situation that will be worth monitoring moving forward.
