The family law attorney representing former NFL player Marcellus Wiley has moved to withdraw from his ongoing divorce proceedings just one day after a separate civil lawsuit accused the former athlete of rape.
In a motion submitted to a Los Angeles County court on Wednesday, attorney Lisa Helfend Meyer asked a judge for permission to step down as attorney of record in Wiley’s divorce case involving his estranged wife, Annemarie. Meyer stated in the court filings that a breakdown had occurred in the attorney-client relationship, pointing to failures by the client to comply with retainer terms, communicate with counsel, and provide necessary information for effective representation.
The motion did not cite the newly surfaced sexual assault allegations as the basis for the withdrawal request. A court hearing regarding Meyer’s petition to be relieved as counsel has been scheduled for Jan. 11.
When asked for comment on the development, Wiley directed inquiries via text message to a website called MenTooProject.org, stating, “Visit MenTooProject.org and join us in the fight for truth, fairness, and justice. Thank you.”
Wiley had retained Meyer earlier this summer after Annemarie filed for divorce and sought a domestic violence restraining order against the 51-year-old former defensive end. Meyer and her firm represented Wiley through subsequent restraining order hearings, which concluded on Sept. 9 when a judge granted Annemarie a three-year domestic violence restraining order.
During those hearings, Annemarie alleged that she suffered years of sexual abuse and control during their marriage. While Wiley denied the claims, the presiding judge ruled that Annemarie had met the required burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence. A subsequent hearing concerning child support, spousal support, and attorney fees had been scheduled for Nov. 18, though Meyer’s recent filing leaves the status of that proceeding unclear.
The withdrawal request follows a separate civil complaint filed on Tuesday in which a 22-year-old college student accused Wiley of viciously raping her in 1999 during his playing career in the NFL. Operating under the pseudonym Jane Doe, the plaintiff alleged that the assault occurred in Wiley’s hotel room days after they met, and claimed that he subsequently warned her to get tested for a sexually transmitted disease. Wiley provided the same written statement regarding the MenTooProject when asked about those allegations.
Wiley played seven seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Buffalo Bills, where he wore jersey number 75 during matchups such as a November 1998 game against the Miami Dolphins, before retiring from professional football.
