Marriot released its own account of what happened last month during an encounter between Michael Irvin and a female hotel employee, accusing the NFL Network analyst of making unwanted sexual advances.
The NFL legend was in Arizona to work on the Super Bowl, but was relieved of his broadcasting duties before the game after a female employee at the Renaissance Phoenix Hotel & Spa accused him of harassing her.
Irvin is now seeking $100 million in damages from ‘Jane Doe’ and the Marriott – with the latter initially reluctant to share surveillance footage of the incident – and likened the situation to a modern-day lynching at a press conference.
Marriott filed a motion Friday in response to the lawsuit, fighting back with its own version of the events of the Feb. 5 meeting.
The move seen by DailyMail.com claimed the 57-year-old’s characterization of the incident was inaccurate and accused Irvin of making unwanted sexual advances by asking the employee “if she knew anything about having a “big black man” in her body”. [her].”‘
Marriot has released its own account of what happened last month during an encounter between Michael Irvin and a female hotel employee
He was sent home from the Super Bowl after an alleged incident in the lobby of this hotel
“Irvin’s counsel gave a selfish, inaccurate summary of the video footage Marriott produced, including his claim that the footage proves Irvin did nothing wrong, and then handed the microphone to Irvin to make racially charged statements,” Marriott alleged in the motion.
“This takes me back to a time when a white woman accused a black man of something and they grabbed a bunch of guys who were above the law, ran into the barn, put a rope around his foot and dragged him through the mud. and hang it on the tree,” Irvin had said at a news conference earlier this week.
Marriott alleges in the filing that Irvin “appeared visibly intoxicated” and approached the accuser, shook her hand, said she was attractive, and asked her if she watched football.
Irvin also reached out and touched the victim’s arm during this conversation without her permission, causing her to step back and become visibly uncomfortable. Irvin then asked the victim if she knew anything about having a “big black man in her body”. [her]says the lawsuit.
Irvin then tried again to grab the victim’s hand and said he was “sorry if he brought back bad memories for her.” The victim pulled her hand away and tried to walk away from Irvin as he continued to walk towards her.”
Two other hotel employees reportedly noticed that their co-worker was uncomfortable when she returned to work and the accuser went to work the next day and reported the incident to her manager, who told her to file the complaint with Loss Prevention, the lawsuit said.
The filing also alleged that after the accuser left the interaction, Irvin turned to another employee and said out loud, “she bad,” “she bad,” “I want to punch that,” and then “punched herself three times in the face.” ‘. saying “keep it together Mike.”‘
The prosecution was later interviewed by NFL investigators, and Irvin left the hotel later that night.
Irvin’s attorney Levi McCathern denied the allegations.
The motion seen by DailyMail.com accused Irvin of making unwanted sexual advances, asking the employee “if she knew anything about having a ‘big black man in her [her]”‘
Irvin – pictured at UFC 285 last weekend – is seeking a massive $100 million in damages
The entire Hall of Fame was pulled from the NFL Network’s coverage following the allegation
“The allegations are nonsense,” McCathern said. “We need to get Michael back to work immediately, and I think Renaissance should apologize.”
Marriott eventually turned over video from the Phoenix, Arizona Marriott hotel after a federal court ordered the chain to do so.
While the chain wouldn’t give him a copy or allow him to include the footage, McCathern says the exchange between the accuser — a hotel employee — and Irvin seemed innocent.
Marriott accused Irvin’s (lawyer Levi McCathern) legal team of “providing a selfish, inaccurate summary”
McCathern says the tape shows Irvin and the woman meeting behind a pole before coming into view of the camera.
The attorney says Irvin only touched the woman four times — twice for a handshake to say hello and goodbye, as well as two touches on the elbow.
“She never acts upset,” McCathern said of the woman’s behavior.
“She’s not acting like there’s any trouble.”
In addition to the video, McCathern produced two witnesses via Zoom who were in the lobby when the alleged incident took place – and said they saw nothing inappropriate between the two.
The two men who were in a Phoenix hotel lobby the night Hall of Fame wide receiver Irvin was accused of misconduct with a female employee said they saw him do nothing wrong and that his brief interaction with the woman friendly.
Phil Watkins of Australia and Bryn Davis of Philadelphia appeared at a press conference via video link with Irvin and his lawyer.
Watkins said he saw “nothing at all” that could be considered inappropriate, and that Irvin and the woman shook hands and laughed.
“There was nothing unpleasant about the interaction,” and Irvin soon left for the elevator as the woman headed back to the bar, Watkins said.
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