According to a sexual assault lawyer in Orange County, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has provided an update on potential criminal charges against Puka Nacua, wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams. The pro football player is accused of biting a woman’s shoulder, and the alleged victim is taking legal action against Nacua for gender violence, negligence, and sexual assault.
As reported by the New York Post, Deputy Director of Communications Ivor B. Pine has stated that the matter has been assigned to a City Attorney Hearing, although similar cases often move directly into misdemeanor prosecution.
Update Doesn’t Close the Case
Pine stated that there are currently no criminal charges filed against Nacua, but the case will remain open until the statute of limitations runs out. He added that if further developments occur, the case will qualify for reevaluation.
According to sexual assault attorneys, the update from Pine does not mean that the matter is closed. Rather, it simply means that prosecutors at this stage in the case have decided not to file criminal charges. However, it is possible this could change in the future.
City Attorney Hearing
A sexual battery attorney explains that a City Attorney Hearing provides a way for a respondent to avoid being prosecuted for misdemeanors and allows such cases to be handled prior to charges being filed. However, there are certain eligibility requirements for a respondent to take this option, and prosecutors still leave room for a future reevaluation of the case if new information is discovered or additional developments emerge.
Lawsuit Stems from New Year’s Eve Incident
A Los Angeles sexual assault lawyer has learned that the accusations stem from an incident that allegedly took place on New Year’s Eve of 2025, and it was following this incident that Madison Atiabi proceeded with a civil lawsuit against the football player.
Atiabi accused Nacua of misogyny and claims that he also made anti-Semitic remarks when they attended the same dinner. In addition, Atiabi alleged that Nacua bit her shoulder as the group traveled together in a Sprinter van.
Nacua’s attorney has denied the allegation concerning the anti-Semitic remark, while acknowledging that the shoulder biting did occur. However, the latter was described by Nacua’s lawyer as horseplay, as opposed to an assault. Nacua’s legal team has come out strongly against the broader lawsuit.
The City Attorney’s decision remains separate from the civil case, and, according to Paymon Bidari, a sexual assault lawyer in Orange County, this means that Atiabi’s lawsuit is not over or irrelevant simply because criminal charges were not filed against Nacua.
The significance of the update for Nacua, however, is substantial, as it lowers the current criminal jeopardy surrounding the alleged incident. Nevertheless, it is not a clean slate in the full, legal sense of the phrase. The matter can be revisited at any time during the statute of limitations by the City Attorney’s Office, although the civil case is an ongoing situation.
Atiabi’s Lawyer, Joseph Kar, states that his client is not harboring any ill will toward Mr. Nacua, but both Atiabi and Kar are demanding that the matter be treated very seriously by the city. Kar went on to say that the discovery portion of the case has begun, but a trial date is still needed.
Nacua was voted Second-Team All-Pro in his rookie NFL season and First-Team All-Pro last season. A sexual assault lawyer in Los Angeles County has learned that Levi McCathern is representing Nacua in these matters, and those with a vested interest in the case will be watching for further updates.