Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman has been ordered by a Los Angeles judge to pay a share of a $4 million judgment stemming from a wrongful death lawsuit involving the 2017 fatal overdose of Playboy employee Kimberly Fattorini. The formal ruling, entered officially on October 5 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, comes after a jury previously found Merriman and three co-defendants liable for the tragic incident. The multi-million dollar judgment holds the former San Diego Chargers star accountable alongside co-defendants J.P. Castro, Monica Maass, and Elias Wehbe, following years of legal filings and emotional courtroom arguments brought forward by Fattorini’s grieving parents, DeAnn and Ferdinand Fattorini.
Ex-NFL Star to Pay $4M in Wrongful Death Suit
The civil lawsuit originally filed by Fattorini’s parents in 2019 alleged that Merriman drugged and potentially sexually assaulted their daughter prior to her death after a night out. According to court records, Fattorini sent text messages to a local club promoter on the night of the incident claiming that a friend of Merriman had poured GHB, a powerful sedative commonly known as a date rape drug, into her drink. Medical examiners ultimately ruled her official cause of death as an accidental overdose after autopsy results detected alcohol, cocaine, and GHB in her system. While a jury determined civil liability last year, the judge officially entered the $4 million financial award earlier this month to close out the damages phase of the proceedings.
Throughout the legal battle, Merriman consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing, with his legal representatives maintaining that the claims were completely baseless and unsupported by law enforcement investigations. Authorities previously investigated the circumstances surrounding Fattorini’s death without bringing any criminal charges against the former Pro Bowl linebacker. Additionally, the judge ruled in favor of several high-profile nightlife venue defendants named in the original suit, including The Highlight Room, Tao Group, and The Warwick, clearing them of financial liability to the family.
Selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, Merriman built a prominent football career over eight seasons with the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills, earning three Pro Bowl selections and 45.5 career sacks. Following his retirement from professional football in 2012, he transitioned into sports media commentary and combat sports promotion, founding the Lights Out Xtreme Fighting organization. With the court officially entering the $4 million civil judgment, the legal proceedings surrounding the 2017 tragedy reach a formal resolution as the parties navigate the final enforcement of the financial ruling.
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