Facing a lawsuit which alleges that he sexual assaulted former Spectrum SportsNet reporter Kelli Tennant, Kings head coach Luke Walton has retained the services of attorney Mark Baute, who issued a statement on Monday night in strong support of his client.
“Luke Walton retained me to defend him against these baseless allegations,” Baute said, per Sam Amick of The Athletic. “The accuser is an opportunist, not a victim, and her claim is not credible. We intend to prove this in a courtroom.”
A source tells Amick that Kings general manager Vlade Divac had no previous knowledge of the accusations against Walton until Monday’s report surfaced. The Kings appear to be just as stunned by the news as everyone else, according to Amick, who adds that it’s too early in the fact-finding process to determine whether the team might explore the possibility of terminating Walton’s new four-year contract.
Here are a few more notes on the Walton situation:
- Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times passes along several details of the lawsuit, which alleges that Tennant “was afraid she was about to be raped” during the alleged incident at the Casa Del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica. While Tennant didn’t make the allegations public until now, she had previously told others about the alleged assault, according to the suit.
- As Ganguli relays, the lawsuit also discusses a second incident which took place on May 24, 2017, when Tennant spoke at a charity event honoring Walton and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss. Tennant alleges that Walton “made lewd noises and looked at her suggestively before hugging her in an unwanted way,” Ganguli writes. The alleged incident was mentioned in the lawsuit to establish a “pattern of mistreatment.”
- It’s crucial that the Kings are fair and transparent as they investigate the allegations against Walton, writes Marcus Breton of The Sacramento Bee. While it’s an uncomfortable situation for Sacramento, the team would only make things worse by going on the defensive or focusing on protecting its investment in Walton, Breton contends.
“made lewd noises and looked at her suggestively ”
That alone makes it sound like nothing really happened. Did he also undress you with his eyes?
He also made unwanted compliments and suggestive small talk!
He probably held a door open for her too. What a monster.
She licked a circle around the top of her glass of vodka…. grounds for a countersuit
So why would you go up to his room if he made you feel that way? SMH this should make every women angry when somebody that wasn’t harassed gets to make up things. its hurts those who are truly raped.
She’s not claiming rape, on the other hand something substantially worse than what was listed previously in this thread.
I have to blame Walton because what’s wrong with he’s got. A better, blonder & healthier volleyballer.
What if that was your wife/girlfriend/daughter even mother? I’m disgusted and creeped out just reading it.
If that was my daughter i didn’t teach her right in going into a hotel room with a stranger. Why would for any reason go to a hotel room with somebody you don’t know even if they are famous? Next up we charge any grand mother for hugging a 5 year old to long?
If you actually read the article you would know that they knew each other. People like you who are quick to blame her is a large part of why women don’t always come forward with their allegations.
No, we go after Brady for open mouth kissing his son
What i will never understand is why there is always a second and third incident in these accusations. Why did you see him again after the first? They didn’t work together, he wasn’t her boss, so she chose to see him again after being assaulted when she didn’t have to be around him for any reason other than her choice? Hmmmm
She was a sports reporter, so yes she had to see him in a regular basis… why should she change her job for him? He molested her, remember, not the other way around.
Hopefully the Kings will be able to void his contract & just save the team from the dreadful choice of HC, they gotta get it right.