The NFL is no stranger to scandal and bad behavior this week, and now Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is adding more fuel to the fire.
A former exotic dancer is suing the owner, accusing him of sexual assault. The incident, in which Jones allegedly fondled Jana Weckerly‘s genitals, occurred in a hotel back in June 2009.
According to Dallas News:
Jana Weckerly, 27, from Ardmore, Okla., said Jones fondled her genitals, forced her to touch or rub his penis, and required her to watch as the then 66-year-old received oral sex from another woman. Weckerly is seeking more than $1 million in punitive damages.
The lawsuit also alleges that Jones conspired to cover up the incident by coercing Weckerly to sign an agreement to keep quiet about what happened that night.
Attorney for Jones, Levi McCathern II, said the court sealed the case late Tuesday, adding that Weckerly’s statement is false.
“These allegations are completely false. The legal complaint is unsupported by facts or evidence of any kind. This is nothing more than an attempt to embarrass and extort Jerry Jones. This is a money grab by a lawyer who is a solo practitioner just trying to make a name for himself. The alleged incidents would have been more than five years old.
“We intend to vigorously contest this complaint and expect it will be shown for what it is — a shakedown. Due to the seriousness of these baseless allegations, we have also involved law enforcement.”
Jones maintains that photographs taken that night misrepresent what happened, but did not go into further detail. Weckerly has been in counseling and is taking medicine to cope with her trauma, according to her attorney Thomas Bowers.
League officials had no comment on the lawsuit as of Tuesday. The lawsuit comes just two days after the NFL suspended Baltimore Raven Ray Rice indefinitely for striking his wife in a domestic dispute. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
SOURCE: Dallas News | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
