HOUSTON, Texas — Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden was sued for negligence for the conduct of his security team, according to court documents.
The lawsuit says the NBA All-Star’s nephew sexually assaulted a woman at a New Year’s Eve party in 2024 at his mansion in Houston.
Eyewitness News obtained the lawsuit, which was filed in Harris County, Texas, on Monday.
At the party, attendees were reportedly instructed to leave their personal items, such as cell phones, in their cars or at the entrance, as stated in the legal complaint.
It is alleged in the lawsuit that the victim consumed a beverage from a container provided to her by Justice Armani Blackburn, who happens to be Harden’s nephew, resulting in her rapid loss of consciousness.
The 18-page lawsuit claims she was sexually assaulted by Blackburn while unconscious.
According to the lawsuit, the victim’s companions were escorted out by security personnel working for Harden, while she remained inside the property, thus unable to prevent the purported assault.
Records show that her friends found her phone after being kicked out, called her sister, who then contacted Harden’s sister, who is Blackburn’s mother.
The filing stated that the victim’s sister sent a photo of her to Harden’s security, who claimed that the woman inside was not her, despite the lawsuit alleging that she was in fact at the mansion at that time.
The negligence claim against Harden stems from the conduct of Harden’s in-home security, which they say failed to act responsibly in response to outside calls for help and could have prevented the alleged sexual assault.
The lawsuit also says that Harden is “vicariously liable for the actions of his guards and their corporate employer,” who were also named as defendants in the case.
Harden’s legal team hasn’t commented about the case.
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