A disturbing rape accusation has been filed against HBOs. was here star Shangela claimed that she was sexually assaulted despite the actor’s ex driver on the show yelling “no”.
The explosive charge emerged Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by Daniel McGarrigle in the Los Angeles Supreme Court against Buckingham Television and Shangela, whose real name is Darius Jeremy (DJ) Pierce.
The lawsuit, obtained by The Daily Beast, alleges that McGarrigle fell drunkenly asleep in Pierce’s Louisiana hotel room after partying together at a Mexican restaurant on February 25, 2020. McGarrigle says Pierce forced him to get drunk against his will. She said she was fully clothed when she fainted, but was quickly woken up by her pants being pulled down and Pierce trying to rape her without wearing a condom.
McGarrigle, 39, claimed he tried to fight 42-year-old Pierce in his suit, but was unsuccessful. She claims Pierce exclaimed, “I know you want this and you will get it.”
“I tried to fend him off, but I was weak, he was stronger than me, and he knocked me down,” McGarrigle said. Los Angeles times.
McGarrigle said she did not report the sexual assault to authorities or her bosses because she feared losing her job. His duties listed in the lawsuit also included serving “as an assistant and chauffeur for Pierce.”
Pierce, who also starred in the movie RuPaul’s Drag RaceIn his statement, he vehemently denied the allegations. Times Wednesday. “I can’t begin to explain how hurt and disgusted I am by these completely unfounded allegations,” he said.
“They’re personally offensive and perpetuate damaging stereotypes that not only hurt me, but my entire community,” Pierce said. “I will fight this totally unfair cause and I will not let it destroy me and my loved ones or damage the causes we all stand for.”
Pierce said a previous investigation into the incident found the allegations “totally unfounded”. He described McGarrigle as “offended” and described the suit as “nothing more than an attempt to shake up both me and a respected television company”.
Buckingham TV also cited an internal investigation that “concluded that there was not enough evidence to support” McGarrigle’s allegations.
The lawsuit says McGarrigle seeks compensation for “past and future medical expenses, past and future lost earnings and earning capacity, pain, suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and shame.”
McGarrigle claimed to have left the team. was here crew party because Pierce asked for help with his flight the next morning. Drunk from mixed drinks, McGarrigle said he got sick on the car trip and vomited in Pierce’s hotel room, so the actor invited him to spend the night there.
That’s when things went wrong, McGarrigle claimed. He said he woke up “with a cold liquid pouring down the side of his face”, later claiming to discover it was a type of poppers—a chemical inhalant sometimes used during sex to relax muscles and create an exuberant dizziness.
McGarrigle said the fluid made him feel weak, disoriented and frightened. She claims she was raped soon after.
McGarrigle said he tried to continue with his job as if nothing had happened after the alleged attack, but things changed. Until he resigned in July 2021, McGarrigle claimed Pierce had repeatedly invited him for drinks and commented on his appearance. He said Pierce would also be physical, claiming he would touch his butt and thighs at work.
McGarrigle’s brother Ryan was also a production assistant. was here. She said she remembers returning to the hotel room her brother shared the morning after the alleged rape and looked like she was crying.
“She was definitely upset and crying and that was worrisome,” Ryan said. Times.
McGarrigle said he reported the rape to the production team, but nothing was done after the internal investigation determined that Pierce had done nothing wrong. Times.