Things are heating up in the ongoing $50 million lawsuit against sports TV analyst, Shannon Sharpe. The ex-NFL tight end is currently facing rape and sexual assault allegations from Gabriella Zuniga. Her rep, Tony Buzbee, claims that at times during their alleged relationship he "demanded complete control over her time and body."
Her and Buzbee cited examples of this abusive dynamic, including an alleged argument with Sharpe's gun in the room. "Plaintiff tried sharing her location with friends from her iPhone – just in case. But Sharpe saw her doing this. The moment he realized what she was doing, he grabbed her by the neck and told her, 'If you ever do that again, I will f*cking kill you.'"
That alleged quote from Shannon is one that Zuniga and Mr. Buzbee are underscoring. That's thanks to this new audio they shared with TMZ Sports. They received a 1:36 long clip of the now 56-year-old allegedly telling her that he's "going to f*cking choke the sh*t out" of her.
Buzbee tells the outlet that this was a part of an argument toward the end of the relationship. In the clip, Zuniga can be heard telling Shannon Sharpe that he wants him to stop "manipulating" her. That is what made things worse and led to him snapping.
Shannon Sharpe Rape Lawsuit
"Oh, Lord have mercy. If you say that word one more time, I'm going to f*cking choke the sh*t out of you when I see you." After that, there's a lengthy pause. Zuniga then replied, "I don't want to be choked." However, Sharpe delivered an eerie rebuttal, "Yes, you do. I don't think you have a choice in the matter."
Buzbee maintained him and his client's position to TMZ Sports that, "the contents of this clip are certainly not sexual. They are not playful. They are instead disturbing, aggressive, and dangerous." He continued, "This audio paints a very clear picture of how Sharpe treated Jane Doe, leading her to escape from him by leaving Nevada and blocking all contact with him."
The reason for his firm stance is because Shannon Sharpe's lawyer, Lanny J. Davis, released some alleged texts from Zuniga in his response to the Nevada suit. They showcased how their entire relationship was an "adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios explicitly requested by Ms. Zuniga." For example, one that may contradict the audio is this alleged message: "Put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it while ur f*cking me."
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