The restraining order request that was filed against Puka Nacua by the woman who accused the Rams star of biting her earlier this year was formally dismissed on Tuesday morning.
At a hearing in a Los Angeles County courtroom, Madison Atiabi’s attorney, Joseph Kar, told Judge Debra R. Archuleta that he and his client wanted to drop the petition they submitted against Nacua on March 24.
“We understand Mr. Nacua is in rehabilitation at a facility for drug and alcohol rehabilitation,” said Kar, who appeared at the proceedings remotely. “At this time, we don’t want to pursue the petition.”
Kar added that he and Nacua’s representatives had been in contact about the matter.
Archuleta then announced to the courtroom the case “will be dismissed without prejudice,” meaning Atiabi can refile at a later date.
Atiabi initially requested the order after she alleged Nacua terrorized her during a night out in LA on New Year’s Eve.
Atiabi claimed Nacua offended her at a dinner by muttering, “F—k all the Jews,” before he later bit her on the shoulder when the two and their friends were in a sprinter van on their way to their next location.
Kar told The California Post on March 27 he and Atiabi had planned to pull the request for the restraining order so they could “focus our efforts” on the follow-up lawsuit they filed against Nacua on March 25.
“A voluntary withdrawal allows for the merits of the civil matter to be thoroughly investigated and tried to ajury,” Kar said at the time. “Civil harassment petitions are not normally ever tried before any jury while the civil lawsuit will be proceeding on all counts to a jury.”
Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has vehemently denied Nacua ever made antisemitic remarks, though he did acknowledge Nacua bit Atiabi. He, however, alleged that was merely the result of the two “horseplaying.”
“They continue to make up stories trying to turn this minor episode into big dollars,” McCathern said of Atiabi and her attorney to The Post in late March. “In the end, they are going to be paying Puka and not the other way around.”
Nacua entered into rehab in the weeks following the incident with Atiabi, and McCathern said on April 1 the 24-year-old wide receiver was “doing absolutely fabulous.”
The Rams, meanwhile, are slated to begin offseason workouts next week.
