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James Harden accused of negligence amid sexual assault allegations against nephew
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- James Harden accused of negligence amid sexual assault allegations against nephew
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The post James Harden accused of negligence amid sexual assault allegations against nephew appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Los Angeles Clippers star James Harden has been accused of negligence amid the allegations of sexual assault against his nephew, Justice Armani Blackburn.
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Per The Athletic's Zach Powell, the complaint was filed on Monday, June 23, 2025. The actions allegedly occurred during the 11-time NBA All-Star's New Year's party in Houston, Texas.
Marisa Watley, the plaintiff, accused Blackburn of raping her at the party while she was unconscious. They also allege negligence against Harden "due to the conduct of his in-home security staff on the morning of New Year's Day."
The lawsuit was obtained by The Athletic and was filed with the Harris County District Clerk. The lawsuit states that the plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and economic, compensatory, and punitive damages. It also says Harden is "vicariously liable for the actions of his guards and their corporate employer," who were also named defendants.
Watley's two friends, who are going by Jane and Emily in the lawsuit, are listed as witnesses. They all went to a New Year's party at a gentlemen's club before hearing about the afterparty thrown by Harden.
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They were invited into Harden's "studio" and offered a drink by Blackburn. The three women then "subsequently passed out" from the mysterious drink.
The plaintiff's memory was then "extremely hazy," though she recalls Blackburn courting her somewhere. Watley was then "shocked into consciousness" during the alleged assault.
Allegedly, Watley's friends were removed from the party. However, she remained inside. Jane and Emily then got in touch with Watley's sister, who was able to connect with Harden's sister, the mother of Blackburn, through a friend.
The sister then showed a photo of Watley to Harden's security. They allegedly lied and denied Watley being inside the house. Jane and Emily then saw Harden leaving the house, and there were "at least three women passed out in plain sight within the house." Watley was found passed out in the bedroom. Another group of women was also kicked out of the house after Harden left.
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"Since New Year's Day, when I reported the rape by Mr. Blackburn to the police, I have remained puzzled by how Mr. Harden's security behaved that day — it is painful to imagine that this all could have been stopped in time," Watley said in a statement. "I hope this complaint pushes security employees generally to act more responsibly when women are in danger."
We will have to see where James Harden's allegations go involving his nephew. He is coming off his second season with the Clippers and found himself in other legal trouble in recent months due to a wrongful death lawsuit being filed against one of his restaurants.
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