A recent court filing obtained by ESPN revealed that a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault and battery against former NBA star Dwight Howard has been dismissed. The dismissal, which occurred in Gwinnett County Court in Georgia, was filed by Stephen Harper, who originally brought the lawsuit against Howard in July 2023.
In the filing, Harper dismissed all claims made against Howard with prejudice. This means that he is unable to refile a lawsuit regarding those specific claims in the future. Howard’s attorney, Justin Bailey, confirmed that no money was exchanged for Harper to drop the suit.
Accusations and Denials
The lawsuit stemmed from an incident at Howard’s Georgia residence in July 2021, where Harper accused Howard of sexually assaulting him. Additionally, Harper accused Howard of intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment. However, Howard denied these allegations and claimed that the sexual encounter was consensual.
Following the initial complaint, Howard requested the court to dismiss the lawsuit without a trial, arguing that the accusations were baseless. Despite his efforts, a judge denied this request in February. The lawsuit included alleged Instagram exchanges between Harper and Howard, as well as an Uber receipt for Harper’s trip to Howard’s residence on the night in question.
Unrequited Love or Legal Matter?
Howard’s lawyers characterized the situation as a case of unrequited love, stating that after one consensual encounter, Howard was no longer interested in maintaining a relationship with Harper. Conversely, Harper’s attorneys refuted this claim, arguing that the lawsuit was not about unrequited love but rather about holding Howard accountable for his actions.
Despite the dismissal of the lawsuit, the legal battle between Stephen Harper and Dwight Howard sheds light on the complexities of sexual assault allegations and the challenges of proving such claims in a court of law. Howard’s legacy as an NBA star remains intact, but the allegations against him have undoubtedly tarnished his reputation off the court.
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