Katz' name withdrawn from U.S. civil suit, claimants apologize for sex allegations
A prominent American ballerina and her husband have withdrawn a claim that Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz paid for sex with an underage dancer several years ago, saying they have since learned she was 18 at the time.
Marc Randazza, lawyer for Dusty and Mitchell Button, filed the motion to strike Katz' name from their civil suit in Nevada on Aug. 3.
A copy of the motion was provided to CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday by Katz' lawyer through the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG).
Katz was wrenched into the ongoing legal battle between the Buttons and an up-and-coming dancer, Sage Humphries, in late July when they filed a counterclaim against Humphries, who had accused them of committing sexual offences against her and other young dancers under their wing.
In the July counterclaim, the Buttons argued they were the victims of a coordinated attack meant to ruin their reputation and alleged Humphries had been trafficked by her own parents to billionaire Katz. They also alleged Katz was only one of several older men who had a sexual relationship eight years ago with Humphries, who they said was 17 years old at the time.
About one week after initially publishing a story, CTV News Edmonton was provided a copy of Humphries' drivers licence, which stated her birth date as Oct. 3, 1997.
In the Aug. 3 request to remove Katz' name from the counterclaim, Randazza claims his team "conducted extensive (not just diligent) research" to verify Humphries age, but that she "appears to have lied to the Buttons, and other parties, about her age."
One of the inaccurate sources he referenced was a LexisNexis report which stated she had been born in October 1998.
"I want to personally apologize for any harm the erroneous factual claims may have caused to Mr. Katz and his family," Randazza wrote in a statement shared by shared by OEG communications director Kevin Rapanos.
"We brought the claims in good faith, but the moment I doubted the ability to maintain them, I took corrective action and asked the court to strike all relevant references from the record."
Rapanos noted "it has been an incredibly difficult and damaging time for Mr. Katz and his family."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.