Officer sues Ujiri, MLSE over Oakland incident
The police officer who accused Raptors president Masai Ujiri of assaulting him in the moments after Toronto won its first NBA championship in Oakland is now suing Ujiri for damages.
In a federal lawsuit filed Friday in California, sheriff’s deputy Alan Strickland says Ujiri hit him in the face and chest with both fists during an altercation near the court at Oracle Arena on June 13, 2019. Strickland, who was providing security at the game, says Ujiri failed to show the required credentials to access the court, where the Raptors were celebrating their title-clinching victory over the Golden State Warriors. After Ujiri ignored Strickland’s urgings to stop, it is alleged a physical confrontation ensued.
The suit claims Strickland was thrown back “several feet” by the force of Ujiri’s blows, and that he suffered serious injuries to his body and nervous system that have resulted in a “permanent disability,” along with “great mental, physical, emotional and psychological pain and suffering.”
A lawyer representing Strickland has previously claimed he suffered a concussion and a serious jaw injury as a result of the alleged incident.
The suit also claims Ujiri’s actions were “foreseeable” based on what it cites as Ujiri’s “previous altercations involving similar circumstances.” The Raptors, team owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and the NBA were also named in the suit.
They’re all accused of failing to warn the plaintiff of Ujiri’s “violent predisposition” and “propensity for physical violence prior to his assault on (Strickland).”
The suit, which seeks medical expenses, lost wages and other damages in excess of $75,000, also accuses the defendants of failing to “provide adequate safety and security to the public” and “failing to post signs warning of danger, including the danger of Masai Ujiri.”
“(The defendants) acted despicably, maliciously, fraudulently, and oppressively with the wrongful intention of injuring (Strickland), for an improper and evil motive,” the suit claims. In October, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said no charges would be filed against Ujiri stemming from the incident, although Ujiri did attend a meeting “focused on matters that we believe merited constructive, structured mediation and conflict resolution and were better handled in a setting outside of the courtroom,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The district attorney’s office said “no further action” would be taken in the matter.
“After a thorough investigation, we are just so happy with the result,” Annie Beles, an attorney for Ujiri, told the San Jose Mercury News at the time.
In a statement, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment said: “We are disappointed but not at all surprised Mr. Strickland has elected to take this path. His claims are baseless and entirely without merit. They should and will be viewed appropriately for what they are. The Toronto
Raptors and Masai have jointly retained very able counsel who will be handling this matter on our behalf and consequently we do not intend to make any further statement about it.”
Ujiri and Mastagni Holstedt, the law firm that represents Alameda County sheriff’s deputies, could not be reached for comment.
It’s been an eventful February for Ujiri-related news. Last week, the NBA was abuzz with speculation that the New York Knicks were intent on targeting Ujiri to run their moribund franchise, a story that only quieted when news broke that New York, stymied by the “complications” of hiring Ujiri, instead planned to hire player agent Leon Rose to fill their vacant team presidency.
With Ujiri considered one of the most accomplished executives in all of North American pro sports — and with him under contract to the Raptors only until the end of the 2020-21 season — it likely won’t be the last time a competing franchise kicks the tires on his services.
With Ujiri’s team riding a 15game win streak after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Ujiri spent the weekend accompanying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a session of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Raised in Nigeria, the Raptors president has used his resources as an NBA executive to grow his Giants of Africa foundation, which uses basketball as a vehicle to help improve the lives of African youth.
“Masai is doing incredible work in Africa to empower youth to a sport,” Trudeau told reporters on the weekend. “(Giants of Africa is) helping countless young people, including many young women, to reach their full potential.”