V. Stiviano Beaten Badly by Two Men in NY Who Yelled Racist Slurs
Stiviano, who is heard in the infamous tape recording in which Sterling goes into a racist rant that led to his lifetime NBA ban and an order to sell the Clippers, was apparently leaving a restaurant by the Gansevoort Hotel with her sister and friends when the assault occurred, CNN reported.
She was followed by two men who yelled racial slurs at her then punched her several times, leaving her face red and swollen, her attorney, Mac Nehoray, shared.
"I believe she will file a police report Monday," Nehoray said, clarifying that she did not immediately file one on Sunday night.
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In April, 80-year-old Sterling was caught on tape released by TMZ, saying:
"You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games," Sterling tells Stiviano. "Don't put [Magic Johnson] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so [my friends] have to call me. And don't bring him to my games."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hit back at Sterling after the comments sparked public anger, telling him that he will have to sell the Clippers and face a $2.5 million fine. The billionaire real-estate investor has refused to sell the team so far, however, and said that he is suing the NBA for more than $1 billion instead.
In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper in May, Sterling asked for forgiveness for his comments, but noted that he was baited into making them by Stiviano.
"I'm not a racist. I made a terrible, terrible mistake. And I'm here with you today to apologize and to ask for forgiveness for all the people that I've hurt," the Clippers owner stated.
"When I listen to that tape, I don't even know how I can say words like that. ... I don't know why the girl had me say those things," he continued.
"Well yes, I was baited. I mean, that's not the way I talk. I don't talk about people for one thing, ever. I talk about ideas and other things. I don't talk about people."
The Daily Mail released a detailed profile of Stiviano in April, noting that she is 31 years old, of mixed-race and was born Maria Perez.
