Jerry Jones, owner of the Cowboys, accused of silencing a woman who alleges to be his daughter. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
A woman, claiming to be the daughter of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, has refiled a defamation lawsuit against the billionaire and two associates. She alleges that they conspired to depict her as an “extortionist.”
Initial Defamation Lawsuit
Last month, Federal Judge Robert W. Schroeder III dismissed a significant portion of the defamation lawsuit filed by Alexandra Davis, a 26-year-old congressional aide, against Jones, his long-time personal lawyer Donald P. Jack, and Jim Wilkinson, a communications consultant for the Jones family.
Davis initially sued Jones in March 2022 to gain recognition as his biological daughter. In her defamation claim this March, she accused Jones and his representatives of launching a public campaign that attacked her character “knowingly based on false statements and accusations.”
Judge’s Ruling and Grounds for Dismissal
In a 36-page order, Schroeder ruled that some of the alleged defamatory statements about Davis, published in two ESPN stories, were either true or “not defamatory.” He also determined that Davis considered a “limited public figure,” failed to establish a valid claim of actual malice, a requirement in defamation law.
However, the judge allowed Davis’ lawyers to refile their complaint regarding comments in one of the two ESPN stories, published on March 31, 2022. The new complaint alleges that Wilkinson and Jack falsely accused Davis “of being an extortionist and portrayed Plaintiff as attempting to ‘shakedown’ Defendant Jones.”
New Complaints and Allegations
The new complaint asserts, “Throughout their smear campaign against Plaintiff, Defendants either knew the statements being made by them were false, or they knew enough facts that they should have entertained serious doubts about the truth of their defamatory statements.”
Last month, following the dismissal of the defamation suit, Wilkinson reported that Jones had no comment, and he himself declined to provide any further statements. Additionally, attempts to reach Jack, who is based in Little Rock, Arkansas, were unsuccessful.
Involvement of Media, ESPN, and Reporter Don Van Natta Jr.
The latest filing alleges that the defendants “were additionally closely working with” ESPN reporter Don Van Natta Jr., who covered the case. The claim suggests they collaborated with other media “to ensure all news outlets reported the statements Defendant Wilkinson had given to Van Natta.”
Several ESPN stories on the paternity claims featured comments from representatives of Jones and Davis, with Davis’ attorneys Andrew A. Bergman and Jay K. Gray repeatedly denying her involvement in exploiting the Cowboys’ owner.
Link to Previous Paternity Claims and Settlements
The new claim also contends that Jones and his associates tried to link Davis to a ‘conspiracy’ involving others attempting to extort money from the Jones family. This included four Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, whom Jones paid a $2.4 million secret settlement after a senior team executive was accused of videotaping them undressing in their locker room in 2015.
The senior executive, Richard Dalrymple, called the allegations false in a statement but retired in February 2022, just before ESPN reported on the Cowboys’ secret settlement. The report, written by Van Natta, was followed weeks later by Davis’ initial claims against Jones.
Ongoing Dispute and Media Attention
Davis’ renewed complaint is the latest development in a contentious dispute that has unfolded in courts and the media over the alleged motivations behind her decision to seek recognition as Jones’ daughter. In her paternity lawsuit, Davis requested release from a confidentiality agreement her mother agreed to when she was a baby. Last December, the court ordered Jones to undergo a delayed paternity test.
This report used information from ESPN.
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