Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Ex-NBA Player Dwight Howard Dismissed

A civil lawsuit against former NBA player Dwight Howard alleging sexual assault and battery has been dropped, according to a court filing obtained by ESPN.

The dismissal came Monday in Gwinnett County Court in Georgia and was filed by Stephen Harper, who initially filed the lawsuit against Howard in July 2023.

In Monday’s filing, Harper dismissed all the claims he had asserted against Howard with prejudice. In legal terms, this means he cannot refile a lawsuit on those claims.

Justin Bailey, one of Howard’s attorneys, told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes that no money was paid to Harper in exchange for him dropping the suit against Howard.

Stephen Harper accused Dwight Howard of sexual assault, false imprisonment, and “intentional infliction of emotional distress”

In the initial 2023 complaint, Harper accused Howard of sexual assault, false imprisonment, and “intentional infliction of emotional distress” stemming from a July 2021 encounter at Howard’s residence.

Harper accused Howard of sexually assaulting him at the ex-NBA player’s Georgia residence. Howard denied those allegations and said in an October filing that he and Harper engaged in “consensual sexual activity.”

Howard subsequently argued in a December filing that the accusations against him were baseless. He then asked the court to immediately rule in his favor and dismiss the lawsuit without a trial.

NEWS: Sexual assault lawsuit against Dwight Howard dropped https://t.co/ww98AThhga

— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) August 21, 2024

However, a judge denied that request in February. In the original complaint, Harper’s lawyers said he and Howard first began communicating via direct messages on Instagram in May 2021. Harper initiated the exchange, according to court papers.

Harper’s complaint showed screenshots of the alleged Instagram exchanges between Harper and Howard. Also presented was an Uber receipt for Harper’s trip to Howard’s residence on the night of the encounter.

No charges were filed after Harper contacted the Gwinnett County Police Department in July 2022

Harper contacted the police a year later, according to a July 2022 incident report from the Gwinnett County Police Department. But no charges were filed, per Holmes.

Dwight Howard argued then that the “case had been made public for profit.”

“This is nothing more than a classic case of unrequited love,” Howard’s lawyers wrote in the December filing obtained by ESPN. “After one consensual evening together, Mr. Howard was no longer interested in keeping Mr. Harper’s company.”

Harper’s lawyers wrote in a January response that the suit had “nothing to do with unrequited love.” They also asked the judge to see past Howard’s efforts “to escape the consequences of his actions.” His lawyers wanted the opportunity for Harper to prove his claims to a jury.

Howard, who turns 39 in December, last played in the NBA in the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. As a 6-foot-10 center, he earned eight All-Star selections and won three NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards.

In 1,242 career NBA regular-season games (1,078 starts) across 18 seasons, he averaged 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 31.8 minutes per contest while shooting 58.7% from the field and 56.7% at the free throw line.