Janel Grant's legal team has asked the court to allow her sex trafficking lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE to move into discovery.
The suit, originally filed in January 2024, prompting the resignation of McMahon from WWE and TKO, alleges that Grant suffered extensive sexual abuse and trafficking at the hands of McMahon and Laurinaitis, as part of a culture of abuse that WWE as a company was complicit in fostering. Grant's team filed on Friday the request to start discovery, alongside exhibits containing email exchanges from each respective side regarding next steps.
The defendants have opposed the move as premature and continued to argue that the suit be put through private arbitration to avoid a court trial, once again citing the arbitration clause in the non-disclosure agreement that Grant argues she was coerced by McMahon to sign.
Judge Sarah F. Russell will ultimately decide whether or not discovery should begin before a decision is made over the defendants' motion to move into arbitration. She is also yet to rule on whether Grant's amended complaint will be accepted as the sole complaint in the suit going forward.
"Janel Grant's courage continues to be an inspiration to so many. Her filing today seeks to move forward with her pursuit of justice and accountability against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE for the horrific sex trafficking and abuse inflicted upon her," Kendra Barkoff-Lamy, spokesperson for Grant, stated to Wrestling Inc. when reaching out for comment. McMahon's side has yet to comment despite being contacted.
Within the filing, Grant's attorneys outlined their intent for discovery with a proposed schedule and a list of information they would like to access.
They are seeking communication records and documents that "may include any subsidiary and/or current or former executive, employee, contractor, agent, and/or similarly situated personnel of WWE, TKO, and/or Endeavor Group Holdings."
It's specified that Grant is seeking documents related to McMahon's payments to multiple women, as well as WWE's policies related to sexual harassment, travel records for McMahon, Laurinaitis, or Brock Lesnar. Lesnar was named in Grant's amended complaint as the originally described "Former UFC Heavyweight Champion" with whom McMahon allegedly arranged for a rendezvous with Grant, as well as directing her to produce explicit content for him. It's alleged that Grant was offered to Lesnar during his 2020 contract negotiations with WWE.
The defendants also argued that starting discovery now could prove to be a waste of time and money, provided the court later agrees to send the case to arbitration. An attorney specifically argued that local rules in Connecticut federal court would allow for discovery to be delayed until the judge decides whether the suit will continue in court or arbitration.
