OMAHA, Neb. (AP) College basketball referee John Higgins has filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against a Kentucky media company, accusing it of creating conditions that led to the harassment of him and his family following an NCAA Tournament game he worked in March.
The suit filed Tuesday blames Kentucky Sports Radio for helping incite death threats and defamatory messages posted on social media and in phone messages. The harassment came after Higgins worked Kentucky’s loss to North Carolina in a regional final. The lawsuit says that damaged Higgins’ roofing business in suburban Omaha.
The suit alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, tortious interference with a business and civil conspiracy. Higgins is asking to be awarded at least $75,000.
Kentucky Sports Radio called the suit ”frivolous.”
The website TheAthletic.com first reported the suit.
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