Warriors' Draymond Green facing civil lawsuit over alleged assault

ByMarc J. Spears ESPN logo
Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, facing a civil lawsuit believed to be tied to an incident last July in which he allegedly slapped a formerMichigan Statefootball player, is confident things "will be resolved soon."

California attorney Lisa Bloom said in a news release on Monday that she is filing a lawsuit against Green on Tuesday.

In a statement, a public relations firm representing Green said the lawsuit is in response to a sequence of events last July that culminated in Green allegedly slapping then-Spartan player Jermaine Edmondson. The alleged slap followed a verbal dispute outside an East Lansing bar in the early morning of July 10, 2016, and was preceded by an encounter two nights earlier allegedly involvingEdmondson, his girlfriend, Green and two of the NBA star's associates.

Bloom, a legal analyst for several networks, has a news conference scheduled for Tuesday morning in Los Angeles.

"I am just letting my attorneys handle the situation," Green told ESPN. "I am hopeful and confident this will be resolved soon."

Green was arrested for allegedly slapping Edmondson and faced a $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail if found guilty. The two-time NBA All-Star was released on $200 bond and didn't appear in court.

Green's plea deal reduced the charges from misdemeanor assault to a noise violation and civil infraction, which carried a $500 fine and $60 in jail restitution.

Bloom's pending lawsuit alleges assault, battery and related claims based on Green's "alleged acts of violence against a young man and woman," presumed to be Edmondson and his unnamed girlfriend, according to The Bloom Firm.

According to the East Lansing police report, Edmondson said he and his girlfriend were both grabbed by the throat by Green's associates on July 8, 2016, at Rick's American Grill. A source told ESPN that Edmondson, an Ohio native, approached Green face-to-face with verbal taunts and threats that day, just weeks after the Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Green didn't know who Edmondson was at the time he was first approached on July 8 and ignored him, a source said.

The police report noted that Green approached Edmondson early on the morning of July 10, 2016, at Conrad's Grill in East Lansing, and allegedly slapped him following an argument.

The former Michigan State wide receiver also said in a statement to police that he had pain in his neck and jaw, as well as headaches resulting from the incident.

Edmondson, 23, requested and was granted his release from the MSU football program a few days following the episode with Green, though the announcement from coach Mark Dantonio made no mention of the alleged altercation, instead citing the receiver's desire for more playing time.

A statement from The Bloom Firm read: "The man and the woman bringing the case will speak out for the first time about the claims of physical assault, bullying and misleading statements made by Mr. Green that they claim have severely impacted their lives."

The statement also said an apology and accountability is demanded from Green, "who has often been called a bully on and off the basketball court."

Bloom, the daughter of attorney Gloria Allred, has defended celebrity clients such as comedian Kathy Griffin and model Blac Chyna.