According to a report from well-known Knoxville reporter Jimmy Hyams, Tennessee wide receiver Josh Smith is potentially being threatened with a $3 million lawsuit by his roommate.
Smith was arrested in early May after an altercation with his roommate in which Smith was named the “primary aggressor.” Now Smith’s roommate’s family is threatening a $3 million lawsuit against Smith if he and his family don’t pay $875,000 in compensatory and punitive damages stemming from that altercation by Tuesday, May 30th.
Kennedy Foster, Smith’s roommate, reportedly suffered a broken nose, broken teeth, and damage to his eyes and right ear. All of this is according to Foster’s attorney, George Underwood Jr.
Keith Stewart, the attorney for the Smith family, reportedly stated that he isn’t “accusing him (Foster) of extortion,” but claimed that this could, in fact, be just that.
“Given my understanding that Mr. Foster’s attempts to press charges against Malcom Stokes (another of the four roommates where Smith and Foster lived) were unsuccessful, it seems his motives are clear.”
The incident report from the May 5th altercation claims that “Foster, Smith and Stokes had been drinking on May 5, Cinco de Mayo Day. Foster apparently wasn’t feeling well and went to the bathroom in his bedroom. When Foster would not respond to Smith trying to check on Foster, Smith kicked the door down. A fight ensued among Foster, Smith and Stokes.”
Both the Foster and Smith families have disputed the facts of the case.
“I think when the truth comes out,” Stewart stated, “Josh will be exonerated.”
In his four years as a wide receiver at Tennessee, Smith has caught 58 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns. Smith’s tenure at Tennessee has been marred by injuries, and he recently missed almost the entirety of Tennessee’s spring practices because of a groin injury. Smith will be a redshirt senior this fall.
