Somehow, the Pouncey twins’ birthday party featuring the “Free Hernandez” hats ended up being less eventful than this year’s self-celebration of survival for another 365 days.
Andy Slater of 940 WINZ in Miami has obtained a copy of the civil complaint filed by Riquan James, Brantley Williams, and Niya Pickett against Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey and Dolphins center Mike Pouncey over an incident that allegedly occurred at their 2014 birthday party at the Cameo nightclub in Miami.
James alleges in the lawsuit filed Friday in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County Florida that the Pounceys and their security detail addressed him with “derogatory and homophobic remarks and anti-gay slurs,” and that the Pounceys “began to push and shove” James. When James asked them to stop, Maurkice allegedly “struck James in the face several times” before the Pounceys and their security detail began “to punch, hit and kick James while he was laying in a fetal position.”
Pickett allegedly tried to intervene, but Maurkice “punched her in the face and knocked her unconscious.” (Two-game suspension, anyone?) Williams was a bystander into whom James and/or Pickett were thrown.
The alleged injuries to James and Pickett include “blunt force trauma to the head, neck, chest and back” and “multiple contusions and bruises over a great extent of their bodies.” Pickett allegedly suffered an eye injury, and James allegedly suffered broken teeth. Williams allegedly suffered “contusions and bruises over the great extent of her body and a laceration to her right leg, which required several stitches.”
The Pounceys have been sued for their own alleged conduct and for the alleged misconduct of their security personnel. The nightclub has been added to the suit, based on the claim that management failed to protect patrons from foreseeable criminal activity.
The Pounceys’ lawyer previously has claimed that there was no altercation with James on the evening in question, and that "[i]f the accuser continues to perpetuate these lies, we will bring an action against him.”
Presumably, surveillance video will go a long way toward confirming or debunking the allegations. Regardless, the presence of two additional plaintiffs means that there will be testimony corroborating James’ version of the events.