Pittsburgh Steeler sued for bullying teenager
Pittsburgh Steeler safety Sean Davis is being sued by a Pennsylvania family after Davis reportedly posted a video to his Snapchat that mocked and bullied their teenage son, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Davis, 24, reportedly recorded the video while waiting in a drive-thru line at a Chick-fil-A in Cranberry, Pennsylvania. The incident allegedly took place on either December 11 or 13.
The family’s lawsuit includes claims for libel, cyberbullying, intentional infliction of emotional distress and slander.
“Chick-fil-A got little kids,” Davis said in the Snapchat video while drawing attention to the teenager. “This kid like eight years old. No wonder the lines be so long at Chick-fil-A.”
The video post also included the laughing emoji, which the family’s complaint describes as “an emoji of a face laughing until tears were flowing out of its eyes, representing how funny looking he thought the minor-plaintiff was.”
The teenager was “very small for his age, regarding his small stature and youthful appearance,” according to the complaint. Davis’ video is accused in the lawsuit as being “extreme and outrageous” and “intentional and/or reckless.”
Randy Fisher, general counsel for the group representing Davis, claims that the video was addressing Chick-fil-A and not the teenager.
“From our perspective, it was a commentary on a billion-dollar corporation,” said Fisher. “It had nothing in particular to do with this young man.”
Fisher also vociferously defended his client’s character.
“What they’re alleging goes completely against everything Sean stands for and how he lives his life.”
The family’s attorney, Andrew Leger, commented on Davis’ actions in the lawsuit.
Leger claims the teenager “has been hurt and injured in his good name and reputation” and “exposed to public hatred, contempt and ridicule.”
According to Leger, the teenager has also been “abused in school for a few weeks over it.” The alleged abuse has led the teenager to suffer from headaches, depression, sleeplessness and anxiety.
“Frankly, we tried mightily to have this settled and not even for money,” Leger said.
Instead of money, the family wanted Davis to do a public service announcement that condemns cyberbullying. That settlement was rejected because Davis’ team didn’t feel that any cyberbullying had taken place. Instead, Davis’ team offered for the teen to attend Davis’ football camp, where the Steelers player would address cyberbullying. The family rejected that offer.
“At the heart of all these alleged claims is intent. There was absolutely no intent on Sean’s part to single him out or to demean this young man,” Davis’ representation claimed.
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