Who Are The Attorneys Investigating The Sexual Assault Claim Against Luke Walton?
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The NBA and the Sacramento Kings announced a joint investigation into sexual assault allegations aimed at new Kings new head coach Luke Walton.
Former sports reporter Kelli Tennant filed a lawsuit on Monday alleging that Walton sexually assaulting her in a Santa Monica hotel room. The alleged incident happened between 2014-2016 while Walton was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.
Three attorneys are leading the investigation -- one employed by the NBA and two hired by the Kings. According to their online profiles, all three have an extensive background in conducting investigations.
Elizabeth Maringer, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Integrity and Investigations, is leading the NBA's investigation. Before joining the NBA, Maringer served 12 years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, including three as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, the Kings wrote in a statement Thursday.
ALSO: Luke Walton's Lawyer On Kelli Tennant: "We Will Not Try This Case In The Media Or Pay Them A Dime"
Prior to working with the NBA, Maringer also worked for a few years as the head of investigations at law firm Stroz Friedberg, according to her LinkedIn profile. Maringer "provided consulting services to clients facing government inquiries" and points to experience "managing engagements" involving employee misconduct, her profile states.
The Kings have hired two Sacramento-based attorneys to lead their investigation.
Sue Ann Van Dermyden, a founding partner of law firm Van Dermyden Maddux, has worked for decades on employment law, primarily focusing on workplace and college Title IX investigations, according to her profile on the firm's website. In addition to being an attorney, she's a licensed private investigator and certified Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigator, her LinkedIn profile reports.
Jennifer Doughty, a senior associate attorney also at Van Dermyden rounds out the investigative team. She also reportedly specializes in workplace and college Title IX investigations.