NFL Hall of Famer and ESPN personality Shannon Sharpe has gone on the offensive in response to a $50 million (GBP £39.8 million) civil lawsuit filed against him in Nevada. The lawsuit, brought by a woman initially identified as 'Jane Doe', accuses Sharpe of sexual assault, battery and emotional distress during what she described as a 'rocky consensual relationship'.
In a move reminiscent of actor Justin Baldoni (who publicly posted private exchanges between him and Blake Lively amid a tumultuous lawsuit), Sharpe has now revealed the accuser's real name, Gabriella Zuniga, and released explicit text messages. His legal team claims the messages expose the consensual nature of the relationship, framing the legal action as a calculated 'shakedown'.
