Content warning: this story contains details of an alleged sexual assault.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston was named in a civil lawsuit alleging that he sexually assaulted a woman at the University of Kentucky in 2021.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said in April the team considered the matter “fully investigated” and that there was “zero information saying this actually happened” when they drafted him with the 30th overall pick in the NFL draft.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kentucky this week, alleges that Hairston had non-consensual sexual contact with a woman in her on-campus dorm room in March 2021.
The claim, filed by Meyers & Flowers and Bryant Law Center, alleges that Hairston, who was 17 at the time, showed up at the woman’s dorm room and entered the room without permission despite being told “she was tired and uninterested in spending time together.”
“Once inside, he followed her into her bedroom and ignored her repeated refusals to engage in sexual contact,” Meyers & Flowers said in a news release Wednesday. “Hairston then forcibly removed [the woman’s] clothing and sexually assaulted her.”
Meyers & Flowers alleged that Hairston and the woman had met earlier that year. The woman had allegedly visited Hairston’s dorm room and he “attempted to isolate her in his bedroom, and she promptly left.” It is alleged that Hairston contacted her on Snapchat later that day requesting sexual activity, which she declined.
The woman reported the alleged incident to police and later transferred out of University of Kentucky. Hairston was never charged criminally.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane was asked about the allegation, which was known about by NFL teams, when the team drafted Hairston.
“We did a lot of research. Yeah, I think all teams were aware of the Title IX thing. That was fully investigated by the school,” Beane said in the spring. “He even volunteered to do a polygraph, and had notes. It was one of those where there was zero information saying this actually happened, to what the accusation was. Like anything in this world, you can’t just take someone’s account and think that’s the truth. But yes, we fully investigated that.”
The Bills told WIVB News 4 on Wednesday that they will not be addressing the suit and referred to Beane’s comments. The NFL said it is aware of the suit but declined comment.
Legal analyst and trial attorney Terry Connors weighed in on what the response could be from the Bills and the NFL.
“(The Bills) now have comprehensive allegations contained in a sworn document in a civil complaint that’s been filed publicly,” Connors told WIVB’s Rob Petree. “So, they will revisit it again. But the league will also visit as well. The NFL will have an examination of it under their morals clause and their personal responsibility clause. They’ll try to do some investigation. So, even though her lawsuit will proceed on a civil vein, there’ll be a parallel proceeding… initiated by the Bills and by the National Football League.”
WIVB’s Rob Petree contributed to this report
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.