A civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault and battery against former Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was dismissed Monday in Gwinnett County Court in Georgia, according to a report from ESPN. Baxter Holmes Wednesday evening.
The dismissal, filed by Stephen Harper, who filed a lawsuit against the longtime NBA star in July 2023, was with prejudice — meaning those claims cannot be refiled in a lawsuit.
A lawyer for Howard, Justin Bailey, told ESPN in the report that no money was paid to Harper to drop the lawsuit against Howard.
Dating back to a July 2021 encounter at Howard’s Georgia home, Harper initially accused Howard of sexual harassment, “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” and unlawful confinement. Months later, in October 2023, Howard denied the allegations, saying he and Harper had engaged in “consensual sexual activity.”
Howard then argued in December 2023 that these accusations were baseless, asking the court to rule in his favor without hesitation and dismiss the case without a trial. This request was denied by a judge in February 2024.
The report said Howard and Harper first met through direct messages on Instagram, with Harper initiating the communication. Harper’s initial complaint included screenshots of the two men’s message exchanges and an Uber receipt for Harper’s ride to Howard’s house the night of the meeting.
According to a July 2022 incident report from the Gwinnett County Police Department, obtained by ESPN, Harper went to police a year after the encounter but did not file a complaint.
Now 38, Howard spent eight seasons with the Orlando Magic after being selected first overall in the 2004 NBA draft. He hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021-22, during which he was an eight-time All-Star and All-NBA selection, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and the 2020 NBA champion.
