Oakland Raiders personnel employee Randy Hanson filed a civil lawsuit against coach Tom Cable and the team Tuesday afternoon, alleging significant harm and damages from a training-camp scuffle that resulted in him being treated for a fractured jaw and broken teeth.
Hanson and Cable were involved in an altercation during an Aug. 5 meeting at the Raiders' training-camp headquarters in Napa, Calif. The NFL and Napa County District Attorney's office both investigated the incident and didn't take action against Cable, who has denied making direct physical contact with his former assistant and any wrongdoing.
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The contents of Hanson's complaint, filed in Alameda County, present a case for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and his lawyer, John McGuinn, is seeking a jury trial. The specific amount of damages being sought isn't stipulated, but that figure will come at trial, according to the filed documents. However, the complaint calls the defendants' actions "willful, wanton, malicious, and oppressive, and justify the awarding of exemplary and punitive damages."
Hanson is suing for general damages that will exceed $25,000, past and future lost wages, medical expenses, punitive damages and court costs. The complaint also alleges that this action is "not of character" for Cable, citing allegations of violence against women.
In the suit, Hanson alleges that, when the incident occurred, he was speaking to defensive coach John Marshall, with assistants Willie Brown and Lionel Washington also seated at a rectangular table. According to Hanson, he was looking at and speaking to Marshall when Cable "grabbed Hanson from behind and hurled Plaintiff into a table against a wall. The left side of Plaintiff's face struck the table."
It continues: "While Plaintiff was lying on the floor, Cable crouched over Plaintiff's body, grabbed Plaintiff's shirt with his left hand and using his right hand, Cable battered and seized Plaintiff's left jaw and neck. As a result of Cable's actions, Hanson suffered a fractured jaw and broken teeth, among other things. Coach Washington and Coach Brown pulled Cable off of Hanson and attempted to restrain Cable from inflicting further physical injury to Plaintiff. Cable broke free momentarily from their grasp and screamed at Hanson, "I'll (expletive) kill you; I'll (expletive) kill you."
The suit alleges that Hanson was ordered to stay away from team headquarters for much of the season but that several players continued to meet with him anyway, soliciting help for upcoming games. Then, on Dec. 8, 2009, a Raiders representative contacted McGuinn and offered Hanson the opportunity in the team's personnel department.
According to the complaint, this offer came with certain stipulations, including: "Hanson was to park in front of the facility, rather than in the rear where the players and other coaches parked. He was to enter only through the front entrance, rather than the rear entrance which was used by players and coaches. He was only permitted to be in the 'administrative' area of the facility and could not enter the 'football' side of the facility. He was not to attend any Raider home games. If he wished to eat the lunch provided daily to Raiders staff, he must ask someone to bring it to him. If he wished to access video tape in order to evaluate players, as his new 'job' required, he was to ask someone to bring it to him."
The suit states that Hanson was informed these conditions would persist for four weeks. But, it continues, "on January 28, 2010, the owner of the Raiders, Al Davis, informed Hanson he would no longer be allowed to coach. In essence, Hanson's segregation would remain in place so long as Hanson remained employed by the Raiders."
The Raiders' failure to sanction Cable, in essence, "ratified" the coach's actions, according to the suit, which alleges that Hanson was "prevented from attending to his usual occupation as an assistant coach for an indefinite period." The suit maintains that this was "intended to punish Hanson and injure and harm his opportunities to coach with other teams."
Cable and the Raiders will have their opportunity to respond. The team said very little publicly about the incident while the investigations were ongoing, and Cable also made few statements, other than to deny striking Hanson.
Napa County district attorney Gary Lieberstein announced in October that Cable wouldn't face criminal charges in the case. Lieberstein cited inconsistencies in Hanson's story that weren't corroborated by the three assistant coaches who were in the room.
Hanson initially didn't tell police who attacked him out of what he called loyalty to the team, but he later accused Cable of the attack.
Earlier this week, Raiders senior executive John Herrera said that although the organization's review is ongoing, Cable would be the coach unless an announcement is made otherwise.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
