In addition to bracing for a suspension of six games or more due to a charge of felony battery arising from an incident in Las Vegas on Pro Bowl weekend, Saints running back Alvin Kamara expects to face a lawsuit in civil court.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the man whom Kamara allegedly beat up in Las Vegas will be suing Kamara for financial damages as result of the incident.
It’s no surprise. Assault and battery are what the law calls intentional torts. Any injuries or other harm suffered by the alleged victim become fair game for compensatory damages. Punitive damages also will be potentially available.
The pending criminal prosecution present a bigger problem for Kamara. Because it’s a felony charge, he could end up on paid leave -- unless he reaches a plea deal before the season begins. If he does, he’ll then face punishment under the Personal Conduct Policy.
The league typically waits to place players on paid leave until the season approaches. For now, there’s no reason for him to not be with the team. Also, and as a practical matter, the media coverage devoted to Kamara’s status will influence whether the league believes that it needs to keep Kamara off the field. With constant developments in the Deshaun Watson situation, Kamara’s situation has been overlooked, in comparison.
Complicating the situation is that Kamara’s alleged behavior occurred in conjunction with an NFL event. He was questioned and arrested at the Pro Bowl. The league can’t be happy about that. It may not cause the NFL to punish him more aggressively; it definitely won’t prompt the NFL to go easy on him.
