-
Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff WriterSep 3, 2024, 06:20 PM ET
- Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He previously covered the University of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Times-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville University and is a multiple APSE award winner. You can follow DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A circuit court judge in Florida dismissed a lawsuit filed by two women against former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars that accused McManus of sexually assaulting them on the team’s overseas trip to London in 2023, according to court documents obtained by ESPN.
Judge Michael S. Sharrit granted a motion from McManus’ attorney Tuesday by ruling that per Florida law the two women’s use of pseudonyms — Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II — does not meet “exceptional case” criteria required to warrant party anonymity. Sharrit also wrote that “fairness requires Plaintiffs be prepared to stand behind their charges publicly in the same way Defendant McManus must openly refute them.”
The ruling gave the two women 10 days to file an amended complaint using proper name identification, which the attorney for the two women said they would do.
“Most defendants in sexual assault cases file these types of motions thinking that the victims won’t proceed if they have to publicly reveal their names,” Tony Buzbee said in a statement to ESPN. “We anticipated this ruling. To be clear, these women have no intention to run and hide, and will comply with the court’s order in a timely fashion. We look forward to continuing to pursue this important case.”
Editor’s Picks
Sharrit’s order also said the women’s reliance on the threat of physical harm if revealing their names to be “largely speculative” and there “has been no showing that either Jane Doe I or Jane Doe II face any specific or imminent threat of violence or physical harm if required to publicly litigate their claims.”
“We are very pleased with the court’s order in connection with Mr. McManus’ motion to dismiss these baseless allegations,” McManus’ attorney, Brett Gallaway, said in a statement Tuesday. “We look forward to him returning to the NFL playing field as soon as possible.”
The Jaguars said they would not issue a statement in response to the judge’s ruling.
The women filed a lawsuit May 28 in Duval County Circuit Civil Court accusing McManus of sexually assaulting them on the team’s chartered flight during an overseas trip to London in 2023. The lawsuit accused McManus of rubbing himself and grinding against them and the Jaguars of failing to supervise McManus and to create a safe environment for staff serving the team. They were seeking in excess of $1 million and demanded a jury trial.
According to the lawsuit, the women worked as flight attendants on the Jaguars’ Sept. 28, 2023, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight and they claim the flight “quickly turned into a party” as McManus and several other players disregarded the flight attendants’ personal space, air travel safety and federal law. The lawsuit also claimed McManus recruited three other flight attendants to the party and passed out $100 bills to encourage them to drink and dance inappropriately for him.
Doe I accused McManus of trying to kiss her while she was seated during some flight turbulence and twice grinding up against her while she was serving the flight’s two meal services, per the lawsuit. Doe I claimed during the first assault she made eye contact with another Jaguars player, whom she said looked ashamed at McManus’ behavior.
Doe II claimed McManus grinded up against her while she was serving the flight’s second meal service. Per the lawsuit, Doe II confronted McManus, who “smirked and walked away.” The lawsuit claimed Doe II remained in the aircraft’s second story to avoid McManus on the team’s flight from London to Jacksonville on Oct. 8.
The lawsuit said it was the first Jaguars charter flight the two women worked and they have experienced severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation. They have been removed from the core crew that staffs Jaguars charter flights, which is something they worked hard to achieve, the lawsuit claimed.
The lawsuit claimed the Jaguars committed gross negligence by failing to properly hire McManus, train him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight staff, supervise him on the flight, adopt policies and procedures to protect flight staff from sexual misconduct by its employees and enforce a zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior.
McManus signed with the Jaguars on May 5, 2023, after he was released by the Denver Broncos, on a one-year contract worth $2 million. McManus made 30 of 37 field goal attempts and all 35 of his extra point attempts last season, but the team did not re-sign him and he signed with the Washington Commanders on March 14.
