Newly released courtroom footage has added another layer to the legal troubles surrounding Gervonta Davis. During a hearing in Florida on Tuesday, March 30, surveillance video was shown that appears to capture Davis grabbing his former girlfriend, Courtney Rossel, by the neck and hair inside a Miami-area club.
The footage, which was played in court as part of Rossel’s civil case against Davis, was introduced during a hearing over whether she could pursue punitive damages. A judge ultimately ruled that Rossel may seek up to $5 million in additional damages.
Rossel originally sued Davis last October, accusing him of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress following an alleged altercation at Tootsie’s in Miami Gardens.
According to Uncrowned (via Yahoo! Sports), the surveillance video consists of eight separate clips. In the footage, Davis is allegedly seen grabbing Rossel by the hair in a backstage hallway around 3:51 a.m. and forcing her toward another area of the building.
The video reportedly continues through the club’s kitchen and service elevator area before showing the pair moving down a stairwell and eventually into a parking lot.
Rossel appears to stop and turn toward Davis at one point, seemingly asking him to stop, before continuing toward an exterior exit. After Davis lets go, the footage appears to show Rossel running back inside the club.
“Your honor, you can see what happened,” Rossel’s attorney said during the hearing. “What happened is consistent with the affidavit she gave to the police.”
Davis’ attorneys disputed that interpretation after the hearing. In a statement, his legal team said, “We were disappointed with the court’s ruling today, as we do not believe the video tells the entire story.”
The courtroom footage arrives months after Miami Gardens police announced that they were seeking Davis in connection with the October incident. Authorities previously said Davis was facing charges including battery, false imprisonment, and kidnapping.
Prosecutors reportedly dropped the false imprisonment count, arguing that it overlapped with the existing kidnapping charge.
The case has already had major consequences outside the courtroom. Davis’ planned Netflix fight with Jake Paul was canceled after the allegations became public, with Anthony Joshua ultimately stepping in to face Paul instead.
Davis filed a counterclaim seeking more than $20 million, arguing that Rossel’s allegations cost him significant income and damaged his career. Rossel, meanwhile, has alleged that the October incident was not isolated and said she experienced domestic violence multiple times during their five-month relationship.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. You can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org for confidential support, safety planning, and local resources. Assistance is available 24/7 by phone, text, and online chat.
