A federal jury awarded US$260,000 on Monday to one of two men who sued NBA star Allen Iverson after they said they were beaten by his entourage at a Washington nightclub in 2005.
The jury's decision against Iverson and his bodyguard, Jason Kane, covers bar patron Marlin Godfrey's medical bills and pain and suffering. But the jury chose not to award punitive damages, which could have significantly raised the damage award.
Godfrey and another patron, David Anthony Kittrell, sued the Denver Nuggets guard for US$20 million, saying they were beaten by his entourage in July 2005. The attacks, they said, followed their refusal to vacate the Eyebar club's VIP section for Iverson.
Iverson testified last week that he didn't see the fight, and was whisked out of the club before the brawl became serious. He said the two men suing him were merely trying to cash in on his fame and fortune. Iverson's 90-minute testimony was the only court appearance he made during the case.
The nine-member jury in US District Court deliberated for about 13 hours over three days before reaching its verdict.
The jury found that Kane was liable for assault and battery of Godfrey, who was awarded US$250,000 for pain and suffering and US$10,000 for his medical bills. Iverson was found negligent for failing to supervise Kane. The jury did not find either of the men liable for assaulting Kittrell.
Attorneys for Iverson and Kane said they were disappointed and planned an appeal. Iverson lawyer Alan Milstein also said the NBA player's absence from the trial was not a reflection of his opinion of the court case, an argument frequently made by the plaintiffs.
Godfrey's lawyer, Gregory Lattimer, urged jurors on Monday to award punitive damages, saying the only way to send a message to Iverson was through his wallet. Jurors were told before their deliberations that Iverson makes US$23 million each year.
But Godfrey said after the verdict that he was not disappointed he was only given the award for medical costs and pain and suffering.
"For me it was never about the money," he said. "It's always been about holding them accountable."
Iverson faces another lawsuit for another nightclub fight involving his security in Hampton, Virginia. That happened less than two weeks before the Washington fight.
‘AWFUL PERFORMANCE’: Golden State were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts Aaron Gordon on Monday scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their Western Conference rivals. A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their lineup. The absentees were barely felt by Denver, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game. The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scored twice on Sunday to help secure a late 4-2 comeback win at Atletico Madrid in a pulsating La Liga clash that took the Catalan side back to the top of the table. Barca have 60 points and a game in hand after last week’s postponement of their home game with CA Osasuna. They are level on points with Real Madrid, who won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday. “I am happy and proud of this team,” Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick told a news conference. “They never give up... It’s a great three points and we are happy to
Armand Duplantis will be among the reigning Olympic champions adding star power to the world indoor championships this weekend when the Chinese city of Nanjing hosts the first major global athletics meet since the Paris Games last year. The three-day event was originally slated for 2020 and faced multiple postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nanjing’s Sports Training Center would finally welcome more than 570 athletes for the start of the showpiece today. One of the main attractions would be pole vaulter “Mondo” Duplantis, who soared 6.27m to break the world record for a staggering 11th time in Clermont-Ferrand last
RSS