The legal saga revolving around Michael Egan, who claimed that he was sexually abused by former NBC executive Garth Ancier, “X-Men” director Bryan Singer and others, has taken another turn, with Egan’s former attorney Mark Gallagher filling a cross-claim against Egan and Egan’s other former attorney Jeffrey Herman.
The cross-claim comes after Ancier filed suit against Gallagher, Herman and Egan for malicious prosecution.
Gallagher has also filed a response to Ancier’s malicious prosecution lawsuit against him, Herman and Gallagher, denying Ancier’s claims.
Also read: Former NBC Exec Garth Ancier Sues Michael Egan, His Attorneys Over Sex-Abuse Claims
Legal papers filed in U.S. district court in Hawaii on Saturday claim that, if Ancier [pictured above] suffered injuries in his case against Gallagher, Herman and Egan, the damages were due to “acts and/or omissions” on the part of Herman and Egan.
“Plaintiff [Ancier] has filed a complaint in the above-captioned action alleging that Plaintiff was injured and/or damaged as a result of certain acts and/or omissions of Defendant and/or the Other Defendants,” the cross-claim reads. “If Plaintiff was injured or damaged as alleged in the complaint, such injuries and/or damages were the legal result of acts and/or omissions of the Other Defendants, and each of them, and not the legal result of any act and/or omission of Defendant.
Also read: Leaked $100,000 Bryan Singer-Michael Egan Sex Abuse Settlement Could Still Stand, Lawyer Says
Egan filed suit earlier this year against Ancier and others, claiming that he had been sexually abused while a minor. The suit against Ancier was dropped in June, and Ancier quickly filed suit against Egan, Herman and Gallagher for malicious prosecution.
In his suit, Ancier accuses the trio of trying to “smear, harass and severely injure Mr. Ancier as part of an avowed and very public campaign by Mr. Egan’s counsel to troll for new clients who would enable them to shake down other entertainment industry executives with threats of sexual assault charges.”
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.