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Shannon Sharpe faces new $20M defamation suit after ESPN split: Details here
Shannon Sharpe's legal issues mount as he faces a fresh $20 million lawsuit.
Shannon Sharpe is facing fresh legal trouble as a woman who went viral for her behavior at a Usher concert has filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against him. The former NFL star and TV commentator, recently let go by ESPN, is already coming off a separate legal battle after settling a $50 million rape lawsuit earlier this year, as reported by The US Sun.
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What does the new lawsuit against Sharpe entail?
The new lawsuit against Sharpe was filed by Jimalita Tillman, who accused him of causing immense emotional distress and reputational harm. She claimed that Sharpe made misleading remarks about her on his show Nightcap, which he co-hosts with Chad Ochocinco.
The allegation stems from a video, dated April 2, of Tillman from Usher's concert, which went viral on social media. She reportedly implied that because of Sharpe's remarks, disputes sparked between Tillman and her husband, and pushed to the extent of divorce.
According to the court papers, she claimed that following the Usher concert, “the defendants made and disseminated false and defamatory statements suggesting that I was married and that my husband was filing for divorce due to my participation in this audience experience, I am not married, nor am I currently going through a divorce.”
She continued, “I was not married at the time of the fan participation moment during the Usher concert. The defendants' false narratives were shared widely across their platforms, reaching millions of followers, viral spread and refutation efforts, despite my clear and public reputation of the false narrative," as reported by The Daily Mail.
Tillman also added that Sharpe continued to share the video on social media, which caused “significant harm to my character and reputation,” and she now reportedly seeks $20 million in damages.
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The 57-year-old was earlier caught in controversy after a woman who identified herself as one of his ex-girlfriends claimed that he raped her on two occasions while they were in a relationship in her lawsuit. Following the lawsuit settlement, it was announced on Wednesday that he was fired by ESPN.
