LA Kings suspend ‘Bailey the lion’ mascot after complaint of sexual harassment
LA KINGS mascot "Bailey the lion" has been suspended over a sexual harassment complaint.
The complainant was made by a former employee of the Kings Ice Crew, which heads up the NHL team's promotional programs.
A woman has alleged that Tim Smith, who plays Bailey and is a senior manager of game presentation for the Kings, sexually harassed her.
She accused him of verbal and physical harassment before he fired her when she complained, ESPN .
“We will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter,” team officials said.
“The employee in question has been suspended, effective immediately, pending the conclusion of that investigation.”
The lawsuit names the team itself and Kings owner AEG Corp.
The female is seeking more than $1million in damages.
She was asked to return to her post after Smith sacked her.
However, the woman alleged that the harassment continued, forcing her to quit.
Most read in News
It's the second sexual harassment complaint against Smith since he joined the Kings more than 10 years ago.
In 2017, he allegedly grabbed a man's buttocks during an elevator ride at the Kings’ arena.
The resulting lawsuit was settled in 2018.