Don Lemon Hit With Assault Lawsuit After Refusing To Pay Accuser $1.5 Million

Photo by Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Don Lemon is being sued by a New York man who claimes that the CNN anchor verbally and physically assaulted him while at a bar in The Hamptons.

The accuser, Dustin Hice, is a bartender at the establishment and has stated that the altercation happened in July of 2018.

The court filings accuse Lemon of approaching Hice where he proceeded to “put his hand down the front of his own shorts, and vigorously rubbed his genitalia, removed his hand and shoved his index and middle fingers into [Hice’s] mustache.” Then he allegedly questioned Hice’s sexuality asking if he “liked p– or d–?”

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for CNN

A spokesperson from CNN has shot down these claims, stating that Hice has previously tried and failed to extort the 53-year-old host for money.

“This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon. Don categorically denies these claims and this matter does not merit any further comment at this time.”

According to PEOPLE, Hice’s legal team requested 1.5 million.

The statement went on to say, “The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts,”

This allegation comes just a few month’s after Cuba Gooding Jr. was charged and arrested for an alleged assault of a woman, also taking place in a New York bar.