The court proceedings for the lawsuit accusing Shannon Sharpe of sexual assault have gotten off to a strange start.
According to KLAS-TV, the attorney representing Sharpe’s accuser failed to attend the first court hearing in the case, which took place in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
“Clark County District Court Judge Anna Albertson expressed her disappointment in court that no legal representation was present for the plaintiff,” the TV station reports. Meanwhile, a criminal attorney not connected to the case told KLAS-TV that the attorney’s failure to appear at the hearing was “strange” and not in their client’s best interest.
Sharpe’s accuser has been represented by Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who previously represented several of the women who accused Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct. Attorney Robert DeMarco appeared at the hearing on Sharpe’s behalf.
This week’s hearing came just over two months after Sharpe’s accuser first filed the $50 million lawsuit, accusing the Hall of Fame tight end of “assault, sexual assault, battery, and sexual battery.” According to the lawsuit, Sharpe and the woman first met when she was 19-years-old and initially engaged in a “rocky consensual relationship” that spanned nearly two years and ultimately resulted in two instances of sexual assault and threats.
The 57-year-old Sharpe has denied the accusations, referring to the lawsuit as an “egregious attempt at blackmail” while threatening to countersue. Although he remained on ESPN airwaves in the immediate aftermath of the lawsuit, he ultimately opted to temporarily step away from his role on First Take amid the public mess, which saw his legal team release salacious text messages and publicly identify the accuser, who responded by releasing voicemails that depicted Sharpe threatening her.
Despite his leave of absence from the Worldwide Leader, the former Denver Broncos star has continued to release new episodes of his Nightcap podcast.
As for what’s next in the legal battle, KLAS-TV reports that Sharpe’s team asked Judge Albertson to review the case’s progress and extend 45 days, which the judge granted. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Sept. 3 in district court.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.