Lawyer for woman accusing Conor McGregor of sexual assault fires back over ‘shakedown’ claim as video emerges
An attorney representing the woman who accused UFC star Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting her in a bathroom at the Kaseya Center in Miami during Game 4 of the NBA Finals last week spoke out Friday against his team’s latest claim that the accuser’s story changed following the release of a video that shows the moments leading up to the alleged incident.
Video obtained by TMZ Sports on Thursday showed McGregor leading the woman, who has not been identified, by the hand to a restroom area. Several individuals can be seen standing at the door before it is ultimately shut.
In letters sent to the NBA, the Heat and McGregor’s representatives, attorney Ariel Mitchell detailed her client’s allegations, which included an accusation that NBA and Miami Heat security helped separate the alleged victim from her friend and “forced” her inside a bathroom where McGregor and his security team were.
CONOR MCGREGOR ACCUSED OF RAPING WOMAN AT NBA FINALS GAME IN MIAMI: REPORT
Following the release of the video, Mitchell told the outlet that her client and McGregor had been together at a club inside the arena before the incident occurred. McGregor then left to use the restroom, but she was soon told by a man wearing a Denver Nuggets jersey that “Conor told me to come get you.”
Mitchell told the outlet that her client had been under the impression that they were leaving the arena as previously discussed and “did not even recall who led her into the restroom until seeing this video.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday, McGregor’s attorney Barbara R. Llanes said the “claimant’s lawyer now has changed her story” following the video’s release.
“After the video was released by TMZ, the claimant’s lawyer now has changed her story. Mr. McGregor welcomes the investigation, which he firmly believes will show the claims against him are false. After not responding to the demand for money made by claimant’s counsel, she turned to the media to apply pressure. This is no more than a shakedown.”
But Mitchell, in a statement to Fox News Digital, denied the notion that the accusations were “false” or an attempted “shakedown.”
“Mr. McGregor‘s team can say this is a shakedown, these allegations are false, but the video is clear. A soon to be married man with a fourth baby on the way is himself leading a woman, he doesn’t know and not his pregnant fiancée, into the bathroom,” said Mitchell.
“Until Conor’s team offers an explanation to that, we are not interested in commenting further. We are working with the police and have been since the onset of this incident. We are looking forward to Justice being served.”
Both the NBA and the Miami Heat issued statements Thursday in response to the allegations.
“We are aware of the allegations and are conducting a full investigation. Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will withhold further comment,” the Heat said.
“We are aware of the allegations and are working with the team to gather more information,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass added.
The Miami Police Department told ESPN that it is investigating a report filed on Sunday but would not comment further.
The accusations followed the news that McGregor and fiancée Dee Devlin are expecting their fourth child together.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full article Here