One of the Women Suing Trent Richardson of the Browns Has a Lengthy Criminal History
By Richard Jones
The lawsuit filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court against Richardson, his brother Terrell, his girlfriend and two others by Krystal Jones of Maple Heights and Kathleen Hunter of Cleveland alleges the pair were verbally and physically assaulted at Richardson’s home in Columbia Station in December of 2012.
The incident is alleged to have occurred on the night of the Browns 30-7 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The lawsuit alleges Richardson and his entourage were celebrating at a nightclub, Rumors, when Richardson invited Jones and Hunter to continue the party at his home.
According to the complaint, Richardson later asked the two women to leave, and became enraged after the women slammed a door.
The complaint accuses Richardson of cursing the two women and slamming his fist onto the hood of Jones’ vehicle, causing $1,500 in damage. The suit also alleges Richardson instructed his girlfriend, Sevina Fatu, and two other unnamed women to physically assault Jones and Hunter.
While we were unable to local a court history for Hunter, Krystal Jones is no stranger to run-ins with the law:
* In 2003, she was arrested on suspicion of stealing a relative’s automobile. Charges were later dropped.
* In 2004, the same relative brought new charges of domestic violence and was awarded a temporary protection order against Jones.
* According to a Cuyahoga County grand jury indictment handed down in 2008, Jones passed a counterfeit check in the amount of $5,200 at a Cleveland branch of Fifth Third Bank.
* While the 2006 charges worked their way through the court system, Beachwood Ohio police allege that on November 16, 2008, Jones presented a forged auto title, along with a fraudulent tax return to a Lexus dealership in order to lease a 2009 Lexus RX-35 (pages 6 & 7).
* Later that year, Jones was indicted on 14 criminal counts ranging from theft to communications fraud relating to an alleged scam against Sprint Wireless (see page 8).
* On March 3, 2009 Jones was found guilty and sentenced to a term of one year in the Ohio Reformatory for Women and ordered to pay restitution to her victims (see page 9).
A call to the Cuyahoga County Probation department shows a still outstanding restitution bill in Krystal Jones’ name.
Jones’ attorney, Leif B. Christman of Cleveland told Big Lead Sports that while he was aware of his client’s criminal history, he disputes its relevance to the civil case.
“Yes we were told about this by the client, but her past does not negate the fact that she was a victim of a vicious assault at the hands of Sevina Fatu at the instruction of Trent Richardson,” Christman said. He also said he resents any allegations that the lawsuit is nothing more than a “cash grab” by client.
Richard Jones is a freelance writer.