Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' sexual assault lawsuit dismissed
The sexual assault lawsuit against Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was dismissed Thursday morning, TheDallas Morning News reports.
The Dallas County District Court site showed earlier Thursday that the case had been "resolved per mediator." The record shows that the parties were ordered to mediation Oct. 3. But attorneys for both sides told The Dallas Morning News that the case had been dismissed by a judge.
Plaintiff Jana Weckerly filed suit against Jones on Sept. 9, alleging that the longtime Cowboys owner forcibly fondled her genitals and kissed her on the lips without consent in 2009 and then bullied her into keeping silent about the incident. Weckerly sought more than $1 million in damages. The PDF of the entire lawsuit can be found here. (Warning: Graphic content.)
Weckerley was seeking more than $1 million in damages.
In an updated filing later in September, Weckerly alleged that Jones paid her for at least four years to keep her from reporting the incident. The case last went to court Sept. 26 before Thursday's settlement.
Jones and his lawyers adamantly denied Weckerly's allegation, saying it was merely an attempt to extort Jones. His lawyers argued that the statute of limitations on the incident had passed, since it had occurred more than five years ago.
In August, racy photos were leaked that showed Jones with two women who were reportedly strippers. Through her lawyers, Weckerly, a former exotic dancer, said she was the one who took the photos. Jones said at the time the photos were leaked that they were released to the public as part of a plot to extort him.
Jones has owned the Cowboys since 1989. Dallas is 5-1 this season.
This post has been updated to correct an earlier report.
