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Golden State Warriors' Ellis Sued for Sexual Harassment

Bob Whalon Written by Bob Whalon, Wednesday December 21 2011
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It seems that Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis has been hanging out with Brett Favre.

Apparently a former Warriors employee has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ellis and the Warriors, alleging that the star guard sent her unwanted sexual texts including a photo of his genitals.

Former Golden State employee, Erika Ross Smith's suit alleges retaliation, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress and seeks unspecified damages.  She claims that Ellis began sending her the explicit messages in November 2010 while she worked in the team's community relations department.

"On a micro level, my client endured unwanted sexual harassment, has suffered and continues to suffer emotional distress and trauma," her attorney, Burt Boltuch said on Wednesday from his Oakland office.  "On a macro level, this type of conduct, especially in the world of sports, must stop.  She was embarrassed.  She was intimidated.  She felt scared and helpless."

According to the lawsuit, the team changed Smith's job and eventually fired her after Ellis' wife, Juanika Ellis, learned of the texts and complained to the Warriors front office personnel in January.  The following month, Juanika Ellis supposedly used her purse to push Smith up against a wall during a Warriors home game, according to the lawsuit.  Smith believes that Ellis' wife thinks that she initiated the texts.  "She was accusatory towards me," Smith said. 

Warriors' president and chief operating officer, Rick Welts released a statement on Wednesday: "When we were made aware of a consensual relationship between Mr. Ellis and the Plaintiff, we did what an organization should do.  We told both to stop promptly, directly and fairly.  The Warriors have never taken any action against the Plaintiff for any inappropriate reason and we deny the allegations she is making."

Boltuch rejected the notion that there was a consensual relationship.

"It was absolutely, unequivocally 100 percent not consensual," Boltuch said.  "And if it was, why was my client's job duties removed and nothing done to Mr. Ellis?  To me that smacks of sexual harassment."

Ellis' agent, Jeffrey Fried said that his client was traveling to Oakland and didn't have any comment on the lawsuit.


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