Kings' Matt Barnes, DeMarcus Cousins sued over alleged nightclub fight
Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes and center DeMarcus Cousins have been sued by two people who say they were assaulted by the players in a New York nightclub early Monday morning.
The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York on Wednesday.
"Jasmine Besiso and Myrone Powell suffered severe personal injuries as a result of the intentional assaults and batteries by (the) defendants and were treated for same at Lenox Hill Hospital," the lawsuit said.
Besiso says in the lawsuit that Barnes approached her in the VIP area of the Avenue Club in Manhattan and grabbed her "by the neck and began choking her."
Besiso also said she was then "intentionally elbowed in the face" after Barnes released his grip, which knocked her unconscious.
When Powell tried to help Besiso, according to the lawsuit, he was punched by Cousins, claiming that the two-time NBA All-Star punched and kicked him in the head, torso and lower body after being tackled to the floor by the two players.
The New York City Police Department is investigating the incident and neither Barnes nor Cousins have been arrested or charged.
Barnes' attorney Alex Spiro says that his client was defending himself from attackers while at the club.
The incident occurred hours after the Kings were in town to play the New York Knicks.
- Scooby Axson
