Details of Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Monta Ellis, Warriors
News broke last night that Monta Ellis and the Golden State Warriors were being sued by a former team employee. Today, the woman and her lawyer provided details of the lawsuit. Per the San Fran Chronicle: “A former Golden State Warriors employee sued the team and guard Monta Ellis for sexual harassment, claiming the star player sent her dozens of unwanted texts that proposed sexual encounters, including a graphic photo of Ellis’ genitalia. Oakland resident Erika Ross Smith said in a lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court Wednesday that Ellis began sending her explicit messages in November 2010 while she worked as the team’s director of community relations. Ellis allegedly texted Smith ‘several times in a single day, late at night or in the early morning hours,’ using a ‘secret’ telephone that was kept by an equipment manager with the team, the suit claims. The texts from Ellis included phrases like ‘I want to be with you,’ and ‘Hey Sexy,’ to which Smith responded with, ‘What do you want?’ and ‘I am sleeping,’ the suit alleges. Smith’s attorney, Burton Boltuch, said his client’s job description was abruptly changed after Ellis’ wife, Juanika Amos Ellis, learned of the texts in January and complained to team executives. Boltuch said Warriors’ executives ultimately fired his client in an attempt to rid themselves of a possible sexual harassment complaint from Smith. ‘She feared Monta,’ Boltuch said of Smith. ‘She knew if she said anything, the Warriors would choose to protect Monta, which is what they’ve done.’”
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