A woman who previously was denied a restraining order against Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua for procedural reasons has withdrawn her petition without prejudice, instead choosing to prioritize a civil lawsuit against him, The Athletic reported Wednesday.
Joseph Kar, who represents plaintiff Madison Atiabi, told The Athletic in a statement that by withdrawing the petition, the civil case can proceed.
Nacua has been sued by Atiabi, who accused him of biting her on the shoulder and her friend on the thumb at a New Year’s Eve celebration in Los Angeles. He also allegedly said “f– all the Jews” during dinner that night, which made Atiabi uncomfortable because she is Jewish.
“A voluntary withdrawal allows for the merits of the civil matter to be thoroughly investigated and tried to a jury,” Kar said in the statement. “Civil harassment petitions are not normally ever tried before any jury while the civil lawsuit will be proceeding on all counts to a jury.”
Atiabi is seeking unspecified financial compensation.
Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, denied the receiver said the antisemitic remark while describing the biting as “horseplay.”
Earlier this month, McCathern announced that Nacua had checked into a rehabilitation facility.
“Puka takes responsibility for his well-being and increasing his performance during the offseason,” McCathern wrote in a statement published by NFL Network at the time. “So, in early March … Puka voluntarily entered a holistic care facility to focus on his personal growth.”
He is expected to take part in team OTAs later this spring.
Nacua is an All-Pro who caught a league-high 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns across 16 games with Los Angeles last fall, but he also has made headlines for less positive reasons.
Nacua, 24, had to apologize for a different antisemitic incident that took place earlier in December on a livestream with influencer Adin Ross. Ross persuaded Nacua into making a gesture connected to Jewish stereotypes while practicing a touchdown celebration on the stream.
He is eligible for a contract extension this offseason that is expected to make him among the top-paid players at his position.
