LOS ANGELES -- A civil lawsuit has been filed against Puka Nacua, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, by a woman who alleges that he made an "unprovoked antisemitic statement" and subsequently bit her on the shoulder.
The lawsuit addresses charges of gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence.
The plaintiff, Madison Atiabi, claims the incident occurred on New Year's Eve in Century City. According to the court documents obtained by ESPN, Atiabi alleges that Nacua made a statement saying, "f--- all the Jews," which caused her to feel uncomfortable and emotionally distressed due to her Jewish faith.
In a later part of the lawsuit, Atiabi asserts that while in a vehicle with Nacua, he "forcibly" bit her on the left shoulder, resulting in a circular imprint of his teeth on her skin. The lawsuit further states that Nacua also bit her friend’s thumb with sufficient force to elicit a scream of acute pain from her companion.
Atiabi initially sought a temporary restraining order; however, that request was denied. A hearing regarding the case is scheduled for April 14, as reported by multiple news sources.
TMZ was the first to break the story regarding the lawsuit. Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, asserts that Nacua categorically denies the allegations outlined in the lawsuit, stating them "in the strongest possible terms." He claims to possess video evidence that highlights discrepancies in Atiabi’s actions compared to her allegations.
McCathern added that "multiple sober witnesses have stated unequivocally that Puka never made the comments Ms. Atiabi claims," labeling it a "blatant lie." He characterized Nacua's alleged biting of Atiabi's shoulder as an act of "horseplay," as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
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