Why is James Harden being dragged into his nephew's alleged s*xual assault case? LA Clippers star's reported negligence explained
James Harden. Image via: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In a troubling civil lawsuit filed in Harris County, Texas, Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden finds himself under legal and public scrutiny, not for his direct involvement in a crime, but for what the plaintiff calls his "negligence".
The case stems from a New Year's Eve party hosted at Harden's Houston mansion in December 2024, where a woman, Marisa Watley, alleges she was r*ped by Harden's nephew, Justice Armani Blackburn, while unconscious. Harden is now being sued for allegedly failing to prevent the incident by his personal security team.
What is James Harden accused of and why?
The complaint, filed by Marisa Watley and first obtained by The Athletic, outlines serious allegations of s*xual assault against Blackburn and claims of negligence on James Harden's part for what occurred under his roof.
While the lawsuit does not accuse Harden of assault, it states that he is 'vicariously liable for the actions of his guards and their corporate employer', both of whom are also named defendants.
Watley alleges the following series of events unfolded at the party—
Watley and two friends, referred to as Jane and Emily, arrived at Harden's party after being invited to the 'studio' area of his Houston mansion.
Justice Armani Blackburn, Harden's nephew, offered them drinks from a bottle, after which they all lost consciousness.
Watley claims her memory became 'extremely hazy,' but she recalls Blackburn urging her to go somewhere with him.
She later remembers being 'shocked into consciousness' during the assault, describing herself as being 'in a dream-like state' and 'not fully awake.'
The lawsuit further alleges that Harden's in-home security staff removed Watley's two friends from the residence, even as they pleaded that Watley was still inside.
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Her sister, Elaina, was contacted by the friends, and she, in turn, reached out to Harden's sister, the mother of Blackburn.
Elaina submitted a photo of Watley to Harden's security team. According to the complaint, they falsely claimed that the woman inside with Blackburn was not Watley.
Watley's legal team said Harden's security staff could have prevented the r*pe had they acted appropriately. 'Since New Year's Day, when I reported the r*pe 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 released through her attorneys. 'I hope this complaint pushes security employees generally to act more responsibly when women are in danger.
'
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The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and demands economic, compensatory, and punitive damages. Watley's attorneys, Michael J. Willemin, John S. Crain, Jay Ellwanger, and Kaylyn Betts, shared the gravity of the situation: 'Ms. Watley has shown great strength and courage in coming forward to hold Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden accountable for what happened to her on New Year's Day 2025 in Mr. Harden's mansion. This r*pe was immediately reported to the police, and we will bring Mr.
Blackburn and Mr. Harden to justice through the civil justice system.'
Harden or his representatives have not commented on the alleged lawsuit as of yet.
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