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UFC fighter Conor McGregor’s lawyer, Barbara R. Llanes, released a statement to TMZ about a video of an interaction between her client and the woman who alleges that he sexually assaulted her taking place after the alleged assault occurred in Miami after Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9.
According to TMZ, the footage shows McGregor and the woman “at a club table just minutes after she says the sexual assault happened.” The video, which appeared to show the two of them talking briefly while holding drinks in their hands before McGregor walks away, reportedly was shot on June 10 in the Kaseya Center around 12:40 a.m. ET, which was “roughly half an hour or so after the woman claims he attacked her.”
Llanes said the video is further proof of McGregor’s innocence.
“While the claimant’s story has changed yet again, our account of the evening has never changed,” Llanes said. “This video only reinforces our position. We look forward to the swift conclusion of the investigation.”
The accuser’s attorney, Ariel Mitchell, said the video shows McGregor and her client “visibly awkwardly interacting with each other.” Mitchell says this is not how McGregor and her client were acting prior to the alleged assault.
“My client has always stated that there would be video of before and after, and in those videos she emphasized that the difference in the interactions between them would be visibly noticeable,” Mitchell said in a statement. “This again is another video that supports what my client has been saying and supports what she told the police since the inception of this incident.”
A previously released video showed McGregor holding a woman by the hand and leading her into a restroom before the door closes. In her initial demand letter against McGregor, Mitchell stated that her client alleges that McGregor and members of the NBA and Miami Heat security teams forced her into the restroom, and security refused to let her out while the alleged assault occurred. Mitchell also says her client alleges security refused to let the woman’s friend into the restroom while the alleged assault occurred.
TMZ noted that Miami police said they have been investigating the allegations since June 11.
When the first video surfaced on June 16, Llanes released a statement saying, in part, “Mr. McGregor welcomes the investigation, which he firmly believes will show the claims against him are false. … This is no more than a shakedown.”
The 34-year-old McGregor, who hasn’t fought in nearly two years due to a broken leg, is expected to return to the Octagon later this year in a fight against Michael Chandler.