Terry Crews has settled a lawsuit with Adam Venit, the Hollywood talent agent the actor accused of groping him at an industry event.
William Morris Endeavor confirmed in a statement Thursday that a deal had been reached and the lawsuit – which Crews launched against Venit and the agency last December for assault, battery and sexual harassment – would be dismissed.
On Thursday, the 50-year-old actor took to Twitter with a one-word message after the news broke: "ACCOUNTABILITY."
Crews alleged Venit "groped my privates" at a Hollywood event hosted by Adam Sandler in February 2016. The “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement after going public with his own personal story of sexual assault last year.
According to the lawsuit obtained by USA TODAY, "Venit stared at Crews intently, like a rabid dog, sticking his tongue in and out of his mouth provocatively," during his first encounter with Crews.
The alleged assault happened next: "Venit, upon his first meeting Crews, viciously grabbed Crews’ penis and testicles so hard that it caused Crews immediate pain."
In the complaint, Crews asked for punitive and exemplary damages after he said he suffered actual pain as well as psychological issues from the incident.
Venit denied the allegations in court documents, claiming his actions toward Crews were not sexual and caused no harm.
The settlement comes a little more than a week after Crews suggested his criminal case against Venit was thrown out due to the talent agent's close ties with the Los Angeles Police Department.
"Adam Venit has been the Event Chairman of the LAPD Foundation, which raises millions for the @LAPD," he tweeted late August. "Anyone wonder why my assault case against him was thrown out by the D.A.? Yeah, #MeToo."
Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges in Crews' sexual assault case against Venit earlier this year. His complaint was tossed by the Los Angeles City District Attorney's Office (who deemed the allegations did not meet felony filing standards) and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office (who said the statute of limitations expired).
Contributing: The Associated Press
