Alleged Victim In $20 Million Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Brennan’s of Houston Comes Forward

Five months after filing a $20 million lawsuit against Brennan’s of Houston after an alleged sexual assault, the defendant in that case has gone public with her identity.

In an updated petition filed with the Harris County Court last week, Houston attorney Jessica Crutcher revealed her identity as the alleged victim. As Eater reported back in January, Crutcher says in her complaint that she was drugged and assaulted multiple times over the course of an evening by Sean Kerrigan, a former bartender at the longstanding restaurant, and that his actions were “aided and abetted” by Brennan’s manager Christopher Lockhart. Kerrigan was charged with sexual assault in relation to the case, but died before it could be adjudicated.

Speaking with Texas Lawyer, Crutcher says that her experience representing sexual assault victims in court inspired her to come forward. “I’ve done a lot of pro bono work over the years where I have seen my clients, survivors of horrible violence, very bravely stand up for themselves,” Crutcher told the publication. “I think I should be able to do the same thing here.” She also says that she wanted to avoid being named non-consensually by the defendant’s attorneys as the lawsuit proceeds.

Brennan’s is named in the lawsuit because Crutcher alleges that both Kerrigan and Lockhart were acting in their capacity as Brennan’s employees when the incident began. In response to the suit, Brennan’s has generally denied all of Crutcher’s claims, and also said in a statement shortly after the lawsuit was filed that the formerly-anonymous Crutcher had told the restaurant that it was “not at fault.”

• Mayer Brown Partner Goes Public in Suit Against Houston Restaurant Over Alleged Rape [Texas Lawyer]
• Lawsuit Alleges Former Brennan’s Bartender Drugged and Sexually Assaulted a Patron [EHOU]
• Brennan’s Responds to $20 Million Sexual Assault Lawsuit By Denying All Claims of Liability [EHOU]