The 2018 NFL offseason has been filled with controversy and disturbing stories, ranging from the league's new anthem policy to reports that LeSean McCoy set up his estranged girlfriend to be beaten and robbed. Today, it was Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Marcell Dareus who found himself in the news for something unrelated to football.
According to reports, Dareus is facing two separate lawsuits from two different women, including one that accuses him of knowingly exposing her to a sexually transmitted disease and having sex with her while she was unconscious.
The lawsuit states the following, per News 4:
"The complaint states Dareus and his accuser went on a date in Houston April 7 that ended with them spending the night together at a hotel. It says that when the woman woke up in pain the next day, she could not recall what happened the night before, but Dareus told her they had sex."
"It goes on to say that Dareus saw the woman the following two days and the pair had sex on multiple occasions. Later the same week, the complaint argues, the woman came down with symptoms of herpes and went to see a doctor, who diagnosed her with the disease."
According to the complaint (H/T ESPN), she is seeking damages in excess of $15,000 and has requested a jury trial.
The second case accuses Dareus, 28, of sexual assault in January 2017, when he rented a seven-bedroom mansion in Lutz, Florida, ahead of the national championship game between Clemson and his alma mater, Alabama. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the alleged victim states that she met Dareus at a downtown Tampa club two nights before the championship game and was invited to an after party at the mansion.
Per the Tampa Bay Times,
"The party there had "10-12 strippers" and "30-40 persons in total," including other unnamed NFL players. The party had "alcohol, marijuana and cocaine open and visible" and "offered up to partygoers," according to the lawsuit."
"The suit alleges that Dareus "grabbed her breast and attempted to put his hands between her legs," and that she resisted his advances and told him to stop. She had been drinking and "blacked out," but recalled being guided down a hallway to the master bedroom with Dareus behind her. She said she woke up in bed with her clothes disheveled and Dareus unclothed and asleep next to her, and "began to immediately realize that there had been sexual physical acts upon her person.""
"The suit states that she left the room and got a ride back to her Tampa hotel, was "emotionally distraught" and stayed in her room, flying to Los Angeles on Jan. 9. She initially kept the details of the incident private, "due to embarrassment and self-guilt.""
There is no report of criminal charges being filed in the matter and a hearing on Dareus’ request to have the suit dismissed is set to be heard on August 9.