Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden has been named in a lawsuit in which he is accused of negligence due to the conduct of his security team after a woman said she was sexually assaulted by Harden’s nephew during a party at the player’s mansion in Houston on New Year’s Eve 2024.
The lawsuit, which has been seen by USA TODAY Sports, was filed in Harris County, Texas. The plaintiff, Marisa Watley, is demanding a jury trial and compensation for economic, compensatory and punitive damages.
Sexually assaulted by her nephew
According to the 18-page filing, Watley says she attended the New Year’s Eve party with two of her friends and was sexually assaulted while unconscious by Justice Armani Blackburn, who is Harden’s nephew.
Watley claims that her friends were later kicked out by Harden’s security staff, even though she was still inside the residence. The friends then contacted Watley’s sister, who in turn contacted Harden’s sister, Blackburn’s mother.
The lawsuit states that the sister sent a photo of Watley to Harden’s security staff, who claimed that the woman inside was not Marisa Watley, even though the lawsuit alleged that Watley was in the mansion at the time.
Security team’s passivity
The negligence lawsuit against Harden stems from the complaint that alleges the conduct of the security personnel at his home, who, they claim, did not act responsibly in response to outside calls for help and could have prevented the sexual assault. The lawsuit also states that Harden is “vicariously liable for the actions of his security team and employees,” who were also named in the case.
Since I reported the rape to the police, I have been intrigued by the behavior of Mr. Harden’s security staff that day; it is painful to imagine that all this could have been stopped in time
“Since New Year’s Day, when I reported Mr. Blackburn’s rape to the police, I have been intrigued by the behaviour of Mr. Harden’s security staff that day; it is painful to imagine that all this could have been stopped in time. I hope that this complaint will encourage security staff in general to act more responsibly when women are in danger,” Watley said.
Harden and his nephew in civil court
“Ms. Watley has demonstrated great strength and courage in standing up to Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden for what happened to her on New Year’s Day 2025 at Mr. Harden’s mansion. This rape was immediately reported to the police, and we will hold Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harden accountable in the civil courts,” Watley’s attorneys Michael J. Willemin, John S. Crain, Jay Ellwanger and Kaylyn Betts said in a statement.
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