Introduction to the Case
A Dallas County judge denied a motion for summary judgment requested by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, allowing a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault to proceed to trial. The lawsuit was filed in September 2020 by a South Carolina woman who alleged Jones sexually assaulted her two years earlier at a private event at AT&T Stadium after a Cowboys game. The suit was initially dismissed in February 2022 but was later reopened. The jury trial, which has been rescheduled several times, is currently set for July 20, 2026.
Background of the Allegations
Jones, the owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, has denied the allegations of sexual assault. The woman who accused him of assault alleges that the incident occurred at a private event at AT&T Stadium after a Cowboys game. The lawsuit claims that Jones sexually assaulted the woman, and she is seeking damages for the alleged incident. The case has been delayed multiple times, with several trial dates being set and then postponed.
The Summary Judgment Hearing
At the summary judgment hearing, Jones’ legal team, including attorneys Levi McCathern and Ty Sheaks, argued that the alleged assault did not happen and questioned aspects of the woman’s story and the credibility of alleged witnesses to the assault. In response, Antwone Cobbin, one of the lawyers representing the woman, called the motion for a summary judgment "frivolous" and said the facts of the case should be left up to a jury to decide. Neither Jones nor the woman who accused him of assault appeared at the court hearing.
Evidence Presented
During the hearing, McCathern showed photos taken the night of the alleged assault, which showed the woman and her grandson posing with both Jones and former Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith. Metadata from the photos indicated that they were taken about two-and-a-half minutes apart, and according to the lawsuit, the assault happened after the woman took the photo with Jones and before the photo was taken with Smith. McCathern pointed to the photo with Smith and said that both the woman and her grandson were smiling and appeared happy in the photo, which he claimed was inconsistent with previous filings in the suit that stated both were distraught following the alleged assault.
Witness Testimony
McCathern also questioned the woman’s testimony about the alleged assault, pointing to her statements about how she did not remember how and where Jones touched her. He said that the man who took the photos and several security guards seen in the photos looking at Jones and the woman testified in affidavits that they did not witness an assault or any other inappropriate conduct between Jones and the woman. McCathern also pointed to a number of other witnesses, including former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and former running back Ezekiel Elliott, who were present at the event and testified that they did not witness an assault.
Response from the Woman’s Lawyers
In response, Cobbin said that several witnesses who said they did not see the assault occur saw the "commotion" that came after the incident, which included gasping and Jones being rushed from the room. Cobbin also said that several other witnesses testified that they witnessed the assault, including the woman’s grandson, and that most of the witnesses who testified that the assault did not occur worked for Jones. Cobbin said that the evidence his client has is more than enough to warrant a jury trial and requested that the summary judgment request be denied.
Ruling and Reaction
Judge Aiesha Redmond, who is presiding over the case, took the matter under advisement following the hearing and issued a ruling denying the summary judgment motion later that day. After the hearing, McCathern said that the facts presented in court were "100% accurate" and that Jones’ legal team has many people who will testify that nothing happened. "It’s an absolute hogwash case. It’s completely made up," McCathern said. "Jerry didn’t do anything wrong." Cobbin denied comment after the hearing, but another lawyer for the woman, Thomas Bowers, said in a phone call that the filing was "frivolous" and accused Jones’ lawyers of extending the case long enough so that his client would give up.
Conclusion
The denial of the summary judgment motion means that the case will proceed to trial, where a jury will decide the outcome. The woman’s lawyers believe that they have enough evidence to prove that Jones sexually assaulted their client, while Jones’ lawyers maintain that the allegations are false and that their client did nothing wrong. The trial is currently set for July 20, 2026, and it is expected to be a highly publicized and closely watched case.
FAQs
Q: What is the current status of the lawsuit against Jerry Jones?
A: The lawsuit is currently set to proceed to trial after a judge denied a motion for summary judgment requested by Jones’ legal team.
Q: What are the allegations against Jerry Jones?
A: The allegations against Jones are that he sexually assaulted a woman at a private event at AT&T Stadium after a Cowboys game in 2018.
Q: Who is the woman who accused Jerry Jones of sexual assault?
A: The woman who accused Jones of sexual assault is a South Carolina woman who attended a private event at AT&T Stadium after a Cowboys game in 2018.
Q: What is the expected trial date for the case?
A: The expected trial date for the case is July 20, 2026.
Q: What is the response from Jerry Jones’ legal team to the allegations?
A: Jones’ legal team maintains that the allegations are false and that their client did nothing wrong.
Q: What is the response from the woman’s lawyers to the allegations?
A: The woman’s lawyers believe that they have enough evidence to prove that Jones sexually assaulted their client and are seeking damages for the alleged incident.
