*A federal judge has ruled that the Phoenix Marriott in Arizona must turn over any video that shows the misconduct between NFL icon Michael Irvin and his accuser.
This marks the second time in two weeks that a court has ordered the hotel to turn over the footage, according to TMZ. We reported previously that the Marriott is at the center of Irvin’s defamation case and is refusing to provide surveillance video of the alleged incident involving him and the accuser.
According to the Dallas Morning News, a woman claims she had a disturbing encounter with Irvin in the lobby of the hotel days before Super Bowl LVII. The allegations prompted the NFL Network to drop him from hosting coverage of the big game.
Irvin has said he is “a bit baffled” by the woman’s claims as he does not know what he did or said wrong.
READ MORE: Marriott Refuses to Provide Surveillance Footage in Michael Irvin’s Defamation Lawsuit
Irvin told 105.3 The Fan that he didn’t initially remember the encounter with the woman because “I had a few drinks, to tell you the truth.”
“I don’t really recall that conversation, to tell you the truth,” Irvin told the Morning News in February. “We were out drinking. It was just a friendly conversation. ‘What’s up?’ I don’t even know. … I am totally perplexed.”
Irvin said he went to his hotel room and slept after the brief conversation with his accuser, and insists “there was no sexual wrongdoing,” The Washington Post reports.
A federal judge recently ruled that “Irvin had the right to obtain the video in an expeditious manner — because of the reputational and economic damage he said he’s suffering by not having it,” TMZ writes.
The judge also ruled that Marriott can protect the identity of Irvin’s accuser.
“Michael and I are pleased with the ruling, and we thank the Court for ruling so quickly and equitably,” Irvin’s attorney, Levi McCathern, tells TMZ Sports. “We look forward to receiving the information that we believe will prove that Michael was engaged in no wrongdoing.”
Irvin’s defamation lawsuit accuses Marriott of wrongful interference in a business relationship, according to multiple reports.
Marriott has a March 7 deadline to turn over the footage.
