OAKLAND, California. A police officer in California who sued the Toronto Raptors president for a 2019 fight after the NBA team’s win over the Golden State Warriors withdrew his lawsuit Wednesday.
The Raptors had just won their first title at Oakland’s Oracle Arena on June 13, 2019, when Raptors president Masai Ujiri entered the track to join his celebration team.
Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Strickland said in a federal lawsuit filed last February that he stopped Ujiri because he did not provide the proper credentials, prompting a pushing party that was partially captured on video. Strickland claimed that Ujiri hit him “in the face and chest with both fists”, tried to turn him around and repeatedly ignored arrest warrants.
The lawsuit stated that Strickland suffered “physical, mental, emotional and economic injuries,” including lost wages, lost financial gain opportunities, and future earning capacity. He also cited past and future medical care and expenses and appointed his wife as plaintiff. The lawsuit claimed $ 75,000 in damages.
Strickland’s lawyers did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.
In August, Ujiri’s lawyers filed a counterclaim claiming that the video footage showed Strickland was “undeniably the initial aggressor” of the confrontation and that new evidence would vindicate Ujiri.
One of his lawyers, Tamarah Prevost, said Ujiri also withdrew his lawsuit against Strickland on Wednesday, alleging that Strickland used excessive force against him and noted that he would never have been treated with such disrespect. if it had not been black.
Prevost declined to comment further and referred all inquiries to the team.
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Raptors, said in a statement that Ujiri “has been fully vindicated.”
“We are pleased that the judicial process is over and we are especially pleased that the claims made against Masai and MLSE have been dismissed in full, without any financial agreement,” the company said. “We continue to be deeply concerned that Masai was put in this position in the first place and we believe he should never have had to defend himself. Masai is taking time to process the ordeal and intends to address it. publicly at a later date “.