The defendants named in the explosive ring boy abuse lawsuitTKO, WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahonare officially trying to get the case thrown out.
Last Wednesday, attorneys representing the wrestling giant and its former leadership team filed motions asking a federal judge in Maryland to dismiss the case, arguing they never owed a legal duty to the alleged victims and that the state isnt the right place to litigate the matter.
The lawsuit was filed by eight anonymous former WWF ring crew members who claim they were sexually abused by former WWF ring announcer Mel Phillips and, in one case, by former executive Pat Patterson. Phillips and Patterson are both deceased and are not named as defendants.
WWEs legal team argues that the plaintiffs have failed to show the abuse is connected to any specific action by the company or its executives in Maryland. According to the filing: John Doe 3 does not plead abuse occurred in Maryland. But in the complaint, the plaintiffs directly allege otherwise:
The Maryland jurisdiction is a key issue because the state recently passed a law removing the time limit for survivors of child sex abuse to file claims. WWE, Vince, and Linda McMahon insist that none of them lived or operated out of Maryland during the timeline of the alleged abuse and argue that just hosting wrestling shows there doesnt make the state the appropriate venue for the lawsuit.
On top of that, the defense says they had no legal duty of care to protect the plaintiffs. WWE argues that the ring boys werent employees, and even if they were, Phillips actions were outside his job duties. WWEs attorneys wrote:
Phillips, who regularly appeared on WWF TV, is now being downplayed by the company as a possible independent contractor. But the lawsuit goes further, citing sworn testimony from 1993 by New York Post journalist Phil Mushnick, who claimed Vince and Linda McMahon had direct knowledge of Phillips troubling behavior years earlier. The complaint quotes Mushnicks deposition, stating:
Meltzer, who was also on the original call with Vince, confirmed that account in 2020.
The lawsuit further claims that Shane McMahon once injured his arm wrestling with one of the plaintiffs, but Linda McMahon pushed back on that too. In a sworn declaration, she said: At no point in Shanes childhood did he injure his arm in the manner described.
TKO, WWEs parent company, is also asking to be removed from the lawsuit. Their attorneys argue the plaintiffs havent spelled out how TKO, which only recently became WWEs parent in a 2023 merger, is legally responsible for abuse that allegedly happened under Titan Sports, the former WWF corporate entity. Their motion states:
The legal battle is just beginning. The plaintiffs have until July 28 to respond to the motions, and the defense will get a final reply by August 27. A court hearing may be scheduled after that, giving both sides the chance to argue their case directly before the judge.
This lawsuit comes after Vince McMahons recent resignation from WWE in early 2024 following another major legal scandal involving allegations of sex trafficking by Janel Grant.
With so much legal pressure mounting, WWE and its former leadership are doing everything possible to avoid facing these claims in court.
What do you thinkshould the court hear this case in Maryland, or do the Mc Mahons and WWE have a point? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
