WWE and Montez Ford Face Lawsuit Over July Raw Entrance
Noel Lucas, an off-duty Cook County sheriff’s officer, alleges unwanted sexualized contact during a Raw entrance and unauthorized use of his image afterward.
WWE and Montez Ford are facing a civil lawsuit from a security guard over an encounter during the Street Profits’ entrance at the July 6 episode of Monday Night Raw at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
According to POST Wrestling’s Brandon Thurston, Noel Lucas filed the 14-count complaint on October 14 in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The defendants are WWE, Ford—whose legal name is Kenneth Crawford—and WWE subsidiary Event Services, LLC.
The claims are allegations in a civil lawsuit. Filing the complaint does not establish liability.
What Lucas Alleges
Lucas was working an off-duty security assignment when the encounter took place during Ford and Angelo Dawkins’ entrance.
FOX 32 Chicago, citing court documents and information from Lucas’s attorneys, reported that Lucas was seated at his assigned ringside post. He alleges that Ford approached him without warning and subjected him to a sexualized dance involving unwanted physical contact.
Lucas’s attorneys say he had not agreed to participate in the performance. The complaint includes assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and claims under the Illinois Gender Violence Act and Illinois Right of Publicity Act.
Social Media Posts Are Also Part of the Complaint
The lawsuit also addresses what happened after the broadcast.
Lucas alleges that WWE and Ford shared footage online without his authorization and used his identity commercially. He says the attention led to people recognizing and mocking him at work, and that his children also experienced ridicule.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Lucas claims emotional distress, humiliation and reputational harm. His attorney, Whitney Barr, emphasized that Lucas was performing his security duties when the encounter occurred.
POST Wrestling separately reported on October 15 that the Netflix replay it reviewed did not include the interaction.
What Happens Next
Lucas is seeking unspecified monetary damages, punitive damages, legal costs and an order preventing WWE and Ford from using his identity, according to POST Wrestling. A case management hearing is scheduled for December 10.
The Sun-Times also reported that Lucas requested a jury trial.
POST Wrestling and FOX 32 said WWE had not responded to their requests for comment when their respective reports were published. Those reports do not establish the defendants’ formal response to the complaint.
The next developments to watch are the defendants’ court filings and the scheduled case management hearing.
Comments