Marcellus Wiley Accused of Rape in 1999 Lawsuit

Former NFL player Marcellus Wiley is facing a new legal challenge with a sexual battery lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, alleges that Wiley assaulted and "viciously" raped her in an Los Angeles hotel room in 1999, when she was a college senior at USC.

The lawsuit states that Doe first met Wiley in February 1999, and after a couple of dates, she informed him she was not interested in a sexual relationship due to being inexperienced. Despite this, the suit claims that later that month, after an outing to a nightclub, Wiley persuaded Doe to return to his hotel, leading her to believe they would simply part ways in the lobby.

According to the filing, Wiley repeatedly pressured Doe to spend the night in his room. She eventually relented but claims she "repeatedly and explicitly" told Wiley she did not want to have sex and intended to go to sleep, to which he allegedly agreed. Doe alleges she awoke to find Wiley on top of her and that he raped her despite her repeated pleas to stop. She claims she feared he would harm her if she resisted and stated, "No," "Please stop," and "Don’t do that."

The lawsuit further alleges that Wiley "observed her shaking and said, 'Look at you… keep shaking.'" Wiley reportedly drove Doe back to her dorm room the following morning and told her she should get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, mentioning he had "the clap." Doe claims they never spoke again.

Doe reported the incident to her supervisor at the USC Student Health Center and underwent a hospital examination, which she states included a rape kit that tested positive for bruising and Wiley's semen. The lawsuit indicates she also filed a police report, but prosecutors did not pursue charges, stating Wiley denied the allegations.

Doe is suing Wiley for sexual battery, assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, seeking accountability for alleged trauma and to deter future misconduct. Her attorney stated that the lawsuit represents an effort to "right a wrong committed by Marcellus Wiley many years ago."

This lawsuit follows previous allegations against Wiley. Earlier this year, his estranged wife, Annemarie, accused him of domestic battery. An arrest affidavit alleged Wiley threatened to kill his wife and became physical with her in front of their children. However, an August filing stated that the testimony was "not corroborated by any physical or other evidence," and criminal charges were not filed.

Additionally, four accusers filed sexual assault claims earlier this year concerning incidents during Wiley's time at Columbia University. One of these accusers, a former ESPN production assistant, claimed Wiley lured her to a hotel room for a work meeting in 2009. Wiley has denied all allegations in all cases.