Hall of Fame Wide Receiver michael irvin held a press conference with his legal team and two witnesses Wednesday to deny allegations of inappropriate misconduct made against him by a Phoenix, Ariz., hotel employee during Super Bowl week, allegations his attorney calls «crap».
Irvin, who filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against «Jane Doe» and Marriott International Inc., claimed he was thrown out of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel in the middle of the night on February 5 after a hotel employee accused him of misconduct after their brief interaction.
The Super Bowl logo and stadium screen are seen before Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Both Irvin and his lawyer, Levi McCathern, said they were not given an adequate opportunity to view video of the alleged encounter or have access to a copy of it.
JUDGE ASKS HOTEL ALLEGING MISCONDUCT AGAINST HALL OF FAME MICHAEL IRVIN TO PROVIDE NAMES, VIDEO EVIDENCE
«We have filed an emergency motion of the plaintiffs to enforce [a] court order to try to get the video. It was filed this morning,” McCathern told reporters.
«We’re hoping to get the video to share, but we think we’re far enough along in the case to say this case doesn’t make sense… The allegations don’t make sense, and we need Michael to get back to work immediately, and I think Renaissance needs to apologize to him.»
Irvin gave an emotional statement in which he stated that he is not yet aware of the details of the accusations against him.
NFL Network’s Michael Irvin looks on during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
«This makes me sick because in this great country, this takes me back to a time when a white woman would accuse a black man of something, and they would take a bunch of guys who were above the law, put them in a barn , they would put a rope around his foot and drag him through the mud, and hang him from the tree. Not a thought about what would happen, without investigation, not after repeated attempts by people trying to go and say, ‘Guys, this is what that really happened.'»
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«How can I defend myself if I don’t even know what I’m defending myself against?» she said, before adding: «I’m surprised that in 2023 we’re still dragging and dangling brothers from a tree. I’m surprised I don’t get a chance to stand up, I don’t even know what I’m standing up for.»
According to McCathern, the video shows Irvin and the woman meeting and shaking hands in the hotel lobby. In addition to shaking her hand in greeting and goodbye, McCathern said Irvin touched her elbow twice before leaving.
Two witnesses, Phil Watkins of Australia and Bryn Davis of Philadelphia, also appeared at the press conference and detailed their version of the interaction.
«There was nothing really unpleasant about the interaction,» Watkins said, adding that the employee reached out to Irvin. «Basically, I heard some laughter. I looked up, there was some handshaking. There was some more laughter, and they went their separate ways.»
Former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Michael Irvin reacts to Hurricanes fans on the sideline before their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)
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Davis added that the group, who was on a business trip, offered to buy Irvin a drink at the hotel bar, which he declined due to his work obligations the next morning. Irvin offered a photo in place of him and the group proceeded to the lobby where the interaction allegedly took place.
«They had a very brief interaction that was super friendly, lots of laughs and Michael went back to his room,» Davis said of the alleged encounter.