A Los Angeles judge has entered a combined $4 million judgment against former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman and three other defendants, closing out a legal saga tied to the 2017 death of Kimberly Fattorini, a 30-year-old casting associate for Playboy Plus. The judgment names Merriman, J.P. Castro, Monica Maass and Elias Wehbe as responsible for the award, which stems from a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Fattorini's parents.
The judgment was officially entered on October 5, more than nine years after Fattorini's death, according to TMZ. The outlet reports that a jury had already found Merriman, Castro, Maass and Wehbe liable last year, awarding Fattorini's parents, DeAnn and Ferdinand Fattorini, millions in damages before the judgment was formally filed this month. As the New York Post noted in its report on the ruling, the case traces back to a night out in 2017 that ended in tragedy.
A Death Ruled Accidental, But Never Fully Explained
Fattorini was found unresponsive at Maass's West Hollywood apartment on July 21, 2017, according to Complex. The coroner ruled her death an accidental overdose involving alcohol, cocaine and GHB — a drug commonly known as the date rape drug. Beyond her casting work at Playboy, Fattorini had also taken on part-time modeling gigs for Maxim and FHM Thailand.
Fattorini's parents sued Merriman in 2019, claiming he drugged and possibly sexually assaulted their daughter before she overdosed. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County, also asserted claims for battery, violation of the Drug Dealer Liability Act and negligence, according to court records reviewed by Trellis.law. Per the lawsuit, Fattorini had texted a club promoter alleging that a friend of Merriman's had poured GHB into her drink.
Merriman Maintains His Denial
Merriman has consistently denied wrongdoing, calling the lawsuit baseless, per the same Complex account. A representative said police investigated the case and found no evidence of culpability on Merriman's part. No criminal charges were ever filed against Merriman or anyone else in connection with Fattorini's death.
Merriman spent eight years in the NFL, six of them with the Chargers and two with the Bills, and won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005 before retiring from professional football at age 28 in 2013. He is now 42.
Nightclubs Named in Suit Avoid Paying Damages
While Merriman, Castro, Maass and Wehbe were held responsible for the $4 million award, nightclub defendants named earlier in the litigation — including The Highlight Room, Tao Group and The Warwick — were not ordered to pay damages to Fattorini's family, the same TMZ report states. The ruling closes out roughly seven years of litigation over a death that, despite a civil verdict, was never the subject of criminal prosecution.
