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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones accused of sex assault; attorney denies

Posted at 7:43 AM, Sep 10, 2014
and last updated 2014-09-10 07:43:40-04

(CNN) — A former exotic dancer has filed a lawsuit against Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, accusing him of sexual assault.

In the suit filed Monday in Dallas County, Jana Weckerly claims that Jones assaulted her in 2009 and that the Dallas Cowboys knew about and covered up the incident.

Weckerly is seeking “monetary relief of over $1,000,000,” according to the suit.

Reaction from the Cowboys was swift.

Levi McCathern, an attorney representing the Cowboys, called the allegations “completely false” and “a shakedown.”

“The legal complaint is unsupported by facts or evidence of any kind,” McCathern said in a written statement. “This is nothing more than an attempt to embarrass and extort Jerry Jones.”

Weckerly’s attorney says his client is in hiding. The suit claims that the 2009 incident caused the 27-year-old to fear for her life.

In the aftermath, the suit says, Weckerly has suffered depression, dealt with substance abuse and has attempted suicide.

The suit is not clear on exactly when the alleged assault occurred, saying it happened “sometime in May or June.” But the suit alleges that the owner penetrated Weckerly with his fingers and forced her to touch his genitals without her consent.

McCathern pledged to fight the complaint. He added that law enforcement is now involved “due to the seriousness of these baseless allegations.”

CNN’s Jason Morris and Cristy Lenz contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire
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