Bills first-round pick Maxwell Hairston accused of sexual assault in lawsuit
The alleged incident occurred when Hairston was a 17-year-old freshman at the University of Kentucky.
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Buffalo Bills first-round pick Maxwell Hairston has been accused of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
The alleged incident occurred when Hairston was a 17-year-old freshman at the University of Kentucky.
The lawsuit alleges that on the night of March 24, 2021, and/or early morning hours of March 25, 2021, Hairston entered a woman’s dorm room without invitation. The woman states she told Hairston multiple times that she was tired and not interested in having sexual intercourse, but he entered the room, removed the woman’s pajama shorts and sexually assaulted her, according to the lawsuit.
The woman filed a police report and went to the hospital to receive a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner exam after the incident, the suit said. The woman ultimately transferred out of the University of Kentucky, with the lawsuit saying “the emotional and psychological harm she sustained made it impossible for her to continue her education in the same environment where the assault occurred.”
In a news release, the woman’s attorney, Lauren Edmunds from the law firm Meyers & Flowers, said, “This case is not just about one night — it’s about sending a message that sexual assault will not be tolerated — on college campuses, in sports, or anywhere else.”
This accusation against Hairston previously came to light in 2022, when a female student posted on social media screenshots of a complaint and police report alleging that Hairston raped her in her dorm room. The university’s daily crime log showed that offenses of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary were investigated, but criminal charges weren’t filed. The accuser also posted on social media that a Title IX hearing resulted in no action taken by the university.
The Bills deferred to general manager Brandon Beane’s comments addressing the accusation after Buffalo selected Hairston with the 30th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but declined further comment Wednesday.
“He’s an impeccable kid, and we did a lot of research,” Beane said in April. “I think all teams were aware of the Title IX thing. That was fully investigated by the school. There’s everything out. He even volunteered to a polygraph and had notes…
“Just like anything in this world, you can’t just take someone’s account and think ‘That’s the truth.’ We fully investigated that. If there was anything to it, he wouldn’t have been invited to the (NFL Scouting) Combine.”
Representatives for Hairston did not immediately respond to The Athletic’s request for comment.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial along with compensatory and punitive damages.
Hairston suffered a minor hamstring injury during the Bills’ minicamp in June. The team expects the rookie cornerback will be ready to return for training camp.
