The actor who portrayed Lt. Arthur Fancy on “NYPD Blue” has joined the number of high-profile New Yorkers to face allegations of sexual assault before a state deadline Thanksgiving night.
The suit lodged in Manhattan state court under the Adult Survivors Act on Wednesday seeks damages from James McDaniel over an incident the anonymous plaintiff claims occurred in 2004, outside Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant Nobu Next Door. After a brief, contentious exchange indoors at a celebration of the McDaniel-starring TV movie ‘Edge of America,’ the complaint asserts an intoxicated McDaniel approached the Jane Doe—an off-screen entertainment industry professional—on the sidewalk.
“Defendant violently pinched plaintiff’s breasts with both hands in rapid succession, causing her tremendous pain and humiliation,” the legal filing reads.
The complainant further states that she told her employer about the incident, and accused McDaniel of retaliating by “menacing” her at a Peabody Award celebration where ‘Edge of America’ was honored.
“Plaintiff could hear defendant walking behind her in a pacing fashion, saying her name angrily under his breath,” the document continues. “[While] she was walking alone, defendant confronted plaintiff. defendant angrily said Plaintiff’s name through gritted teeth. Plaintiff, who was terrified, quickly departed the event.”
The filing also alleges that McDaniel later called Jane Doe’s supervisor, and complained the industry had “blackballed” him because of the plaintiff’s claims.
An attorney for McDaniel denied the claims in a conversation with The Daily Beast.
“They’re not true,” lawyer Ron Ostrin said. “This has been a 20-year nightmare and it’s a good example of when the law has a negative side-effect that people don’t realize.”
Ostrin sent The Daily Beast affidavits dated to 2004 from individuals who said they were present at the time of the alleged incidents who denied witnessing them, including one from the director of ‘Edge of America,’ who said he had accompanied McDaniel the entire night at Nobu. Ostrin further described the complaint as “hastily drafted” and “factually inaccurate”—and, as an example—noted that it describes ‘Edge of America’ receiving a Peabody Award in 2006, when in fact it was so recognized in 2005, which The Daily Beast confirmed.
In a statement Ostrin sent The Daily Beast, McDaniel also disputed the allegations, stating that he had sought in 2004 to obtain video footage from outside Nobu, and had offered to undergo a lie detector test.
“Having done my own investigation with my attorney in 2004, I can prove that these allegations are completely unfounded, even though the Plaintiff has the burden of proof,” the actor said
Other New Yorkers to find themselves hit with abuse claims before the Adult Survivors Act statute of limitations expired include Mayor Eric Adams and disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Both men have denied the accusations.
