Mark Cuban Deposition Requested in Petition Involving Racial Discrimination at Arena
A former employee at the Mavericks arena has filed a petition seeking documents and the deposition of team owner Mark Cuban, claiming he knew and "swept under the rug" an incident where a noose was left at the American Airlines Center.
Michelle Newsome filed the petition in Dallas County Court on Thursday, seeking information about what Cuban knew regarding the 2011 incident at the American Airlines Center.
Newsome, who is African-American, heard about the noose from another African-American employee who found it before Dallas' Feb. 23, 2011 game. That employee took a photo of it and said Cuban threw the noose in the trash.
Newsome toldUSA Today Sports that, "There was nothing done and the most disheartening thing was the fact that Mr. Cuban is the one who took down the noose and discarded it."
She is a former sales executive employed by the Center Operating Company (AOC) who worked at American Airlines Center (AAC) since 2004. Newsome said in the petition she believes she was "illegally fired (in March 2017) based on her sex, and race and in retaliation for her complaints about the 'animal house' culture and race discrimination by AAC and AOC management/supervisors."
Newsome told USA Today Sports she complained throughout her career to the company about racial discrimination, pay equity, harassment and bullying and taunting from coworkers.
The Mavericks and Cuban are already under scrutiny after a Sports Illustrated report from February detailed allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace.
Newsome filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in January, but has not yet filed a lawsuit.
