An attorney representing Sterling, Bobby Samini, rejected the
assertions, according to the Los Angeles Times. "Anyone objectively
reviewing Ms. King's claims will have no doubt that they are without
merit," the newspaper quoted Samini as saying.
Sterling, 80, has been banned for life by the National Basketball
Association over racist remarks in a private conversation that were
recorded secretly and leaked to the media. [ID:nL1N0OG1K7] Last week
the NBA, seeking to terminate Sterling's team ownership, said it had
reached an agreement to sell the Clippers. Sterling has mounted a
legal challenge.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court said Sterling lobbed
a "steady stream of racially and sexually offensive comments" at
Maiko Maya King, with whom he was in a "romantic relationship" from
2005 to 2011.
"He supported her financially and she worked for him and his
foundation," the suit said, adding she returned to work for Sterling
for a second stint until he dismissed her over her protests in early
May.
King, who is seeking unspecified compensatory damages, alleged that
Sterling "dangled money only if she would have sex with him" and
made other sexual demands, and withheld wages when she refused.
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King also accused Sterling of spewing racial epithets against her
former husband, who is black, and their children, and more broadly,
such as "black people do not take care of their children. All they
do is sit at home and smoke dope," according to the lawsuit.
(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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