As Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant’s return to the court seemingly draws near, it is also time for him to fulfill his legal obligations.
As reported Friday by Baxter Holmes of ESPN, Morant received a subpoena to appear for an immunity hearing in regards to a civil lawsuit in Memphis.
Holloway is suing Morant, who, in a police report, said the point guard had punched him during a pickup game at Morant’s house in July 2022, some 12 or 13 times. At this time, Holloway, 17, stated that the blows reportedly from Morant’s and one other man’s fists were so hard it caused a “huge knot” on the side of his head, further alleging that after the incident, Morant entered his house, came back outside with a gun, and later threatened him.
Could this lawsuit affect Ja Morant’s career
Morant’s lawyers are expected to seek dismissal of the case during the hearing and argue, in what is believed to take place from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13, that Morant was acting in self-defense after being hit in the chin by a basketball thrown by Holloway.
The lawyers for the former Rookie of the Year previously attempted to have the case dismissed under the assertion of Tennessee’s “stand your ground” law, as reported by Holmes. While this attempt to dismiss the case is reported to have been made for December, if dismissed it could go to trial in April 2024.
Morant’s testimony will mark the first for him in this case. He countersued in April, alleging that Holloway had slandered and assaulted him. His attorneys further claim that Holloway has endangered and damaged Morant’s career in the NBA.
key details of the lawsuit
This is the time line of events during which his troubles arose. Although reports regarding the alleged pickup game gone bad came out, voices arose about the supposed verbal altercation in the shoe store, along with the alleged post-game confrontation that saw Morant’s friends face-off against some Indiana Pacers personnel.
Arguably, the most damaging one of these incidents happened when Morant, during an Instagram Live session, flashed a gun and was slapped with an eight-game suspension by the NBA.
Subpoenas were reportedly served to Morant’s friend Davonte Pack, his father Tee, and mother Jamie. They are all expected to appear and testify at this month’s hearing, as they were witnesses to the incident.
Other subpoenas were reportedly issued for four members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office who investigated the incident. Memphis Police also came under fire in April for allegedly mishandling reports connected with Morant. It is unclear whether any of the officers that will testify are related to those allegations.
Morant is currently serving a 25-game NBA suspension for flashing a gun in another Instagram Live video this year. His upcoming testimony will be a week before he can rejoin the Grizzlies on Dec. 19.
FAQS:
For what reason is Ja Morant being subpoenaed?
Ja Morant is subpoenaed to testify in a civil lawsuit by a teenager, Joshua Holloway, where he alleges that Morant assaulted him during a pickup basketball game about July last year. It is alleged by the lawsuit that he punched the teenager several times, injuring his head.
What details are crucial to the lawsuit?
This lawsuit involves accusations of assault that happened while they were playing basketball at Morant’s house. Joshua Holloway asserts he was attacked by Morant after an argument and is demanding damages for the injuries. His camp is saying he was acting in self-defense.
Who else is involved in the lawsuit?
Besides Morant, several other people close to him, including his father Tee Morant, his mother Jamie Morant, and his friend Davonte Pack, who were reported as possible witnesses to the events of the incident. Subpoenas have also been served to the officers investigating the case of the fight.