Janel Grant amended her lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE. The suit alleged McMahon both sexually assaulted and sexually trafficked her. At the same time, she was an employee of WWE, and Laurinaitis became a participant while WWE knew what was going on. The amended suit can be read here.
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics reports that McMahon’s team filed an opposition with a case to block Grant’s motion to amend her complaint, in which they argued that her request was untimely and made in bad faith.
“[Grant’s] filing is teeming with proposed additional allegations” that were available to her when she filed her initial complaint “and is a bad faith attempt to use this Court’s docket to gain an advantage in the court of public opinion,” stated by McMahon’s attorneys, led by Jessica T. Rosenberg of the Akin Gump firm.
The following is from Wrestlenomics:
“McMahon’s side contends that Grant has provided no legitimate reason for the delay in filing the amendment and that many of the proposed changes—few of which, they say, are even new allegations—are legally futile. The filing accuses Grant’s legal team of attempting to inject “stale” allegations for media attention, citing her attorneys’ previous statements. The opposition document also asserts that many of Grant’s new claims stem from information she purportedly had when the lawsuit was initially filed but chose not to include at the time.
Additionally, McMahon’s lawyers argue that any new allegations related to his alleged coercion of Grant into signing a January 2022 NDA, which is a central element in the legal case, are irrelevant because she accepted the first $1 million settlement payment. By keeping the financial compensation, they argue, Grant effectively ratified the contract, nullifying any claims of duress.”
Grant’s team issued the following response to BJ Bethal:
“Vince McMahon’s latest filing serves only to cover up the years of round-the-clock abuse and exploitation Janel Grant suffered at the hands of WWE’s top executives. Her amended complaint is key to understanding Ms. Grant’s commodification at the company in all its sordid details. The amended complaint brings into clearer focus that Ms. Grant’s “job” was never to support the mission of WWE — it was only to satisfy the twisted desires of Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis. It’s time for the full truth to come to light.”
Now, Judge Sarah F. Russell will determine whether Grant will be allowed to proceed with the amended lawsuit, but should the court denies her motion, the lawsuit will remain in its original form, as filed in January 2024.
