The woman who accused Puka Nacua of biting her on New Year’s Eve is now pulling her request for a restraining order against the Rams star.
Madison Atiabi’s attorney, Joseph Kar, said in a statement to The California Post on Friday he and his client have opted to drop the matter without prejudice.
However, Kar said the move was made merely to “focus our efforts” on the follow-up lawsuit they filed against Nacua on Wednesday.
“A voluntary withdrawal allows for the merits of the civil matter to be thoroughly investigated and tried to a
jury,” Kar said. “Civil harassment petitions are not normally ever tried before any jury while the civil lawsuit
will be proceeding on all counts to a jury.”
The application for the restraining order was submitted to a Los Angeles County court on Tuesday, after Atiabi alleged Nacua made her evening miserable on Dec. 31.
In the filing, Atiabi claimed Nacua offended at her at a dinner by saying “f—k all the Jews,” before he later bit her on the shoulder while the two were in a Sprinter van on their way to their next destination. The request was temporarily denied, pending an April 14 hearing.
Atiabi’s lawsuit states she is suing Nacua for gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence; and is asking for, among other things, “general and compensatory damages in an amount to be proven at trial.”
Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has vehemently denied that his client muttered antisemitic language, stating they have “several sober witnesses who discredit” Atiabi’s claim.
As for the bite, McCathern acknowledged it happened, but he alleged it was the result of mutual “horseplay.” He said there are several videos on the internet that show Atiabi was initially unbothered by the encounter.
“I have three videos for you to reference,” McCathern told The Post earlier this week. “Ms. Atiabi can be seen twerking in all three videos — two videos inside the shuttle bus (one where Puka is visibly asleep in the background), and a third from inside the club, which was recorded after the bite incident — Ms. Atiabi’s behavior in that video is inconsistent with someone who feels distressed.”
Kar, though, said of the videos that his client “attempted to make the best of the rest of the night, away from Nacua.”
Prosecutors in Los Angeles have said they are investigating the claims.
