It’s only been a few weeks since Dwight Howard returned to US soil after going pro in Taiwan. Howard might even make a comeback this season, assuming that the Warriors decides to ink him in.
But not long after adjusting to his new surroundings and joining the potential new team, Howard’s reputation was tarnished by claims of sexual misconduct.
Assault allegations vs Howard
The man in question, identified as Mr. Stephen Harper, reportedly began communicating with Howard through Instagram direct messages in May 2021. They allegedly then exchanged explicit messages before setting up a meet-up at Howard’s home in Gwinnett County on July 19, 2021.
According to additional reports, Harper claimed that Howard asked him through text if another individual could join them in their sexual session, to which Harper declined.
When he arrived at Howard’s home, Harper said that, although he was not interested, another man, dressed as a woman named ‘Kitty,’ entered the room with them. According to Harper, he tried to fight with the two men when he arrived but was forced into sexual activity by Howard and Kitty.
“Mr. Harper was trapped in Defendant’s bedroom and believed that he would suffer imminent bodily harm if he resisted Defendant’s sexual advances,” the lawsuit said, as per AP news.
Furthermore, it was noted that Mr. Harper was in utter shock and felt like he had been severely abused and humiliated.
According to a Sportskeeda article, Kitty also allegedly threatened Mr. Harper with death to conceal the abuse.
“According to Harper, (Kitty) advised him to keep everything a secret or someone will put a bullet in his head,” according to Gwinnett County Police Department’s report.
Howard refutes Harper’s sexual assault claims
The former NBA centre denied Harper’s claims and asserted that the sexual activity was ‘consensual’ and that he did not cause any harm.
“What was a private consensual encounter was made public for profit and Mr. Howard looks forward to bringing the truth to light in a court of law,” Justin Bailey, one of Howard’s attorneys, said in a statement to ESPN.
His attorney further stated that Howard had already taken steps to block Harper on social media platforms, but was subsequently presented with a choice by Harper of either paying to protect his public image or having a false allegation published. Despite the sensitivity of the matter and his celebrity status, Howard opted to trust the justice system and rely on all subsequent court documents to speak for themselves.
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