Why Vince McMahon's lead prosecutor won't appear in the Netflix docuseries

Attorney Ann Callis of Holland Law Firm, which represents former World Wrestling Entertainment employee Janel Grant in her sexual misconduct lawsuit against former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, held a virtual press conference Thursday ahead of the Sept. 25 premiere of the Netflix documentary series Mr McMahonGrant, Callis said, does not appear on or has not seen the show, which includes interviews with McMahon and WWE stars such as John Cena, Steve Austin, Dwayne Johnson and Hulk Hogan.

Grant's allegedly traumatic experience with McMahon, Callis said, is “an essential part of an accurate and complete retelling of the history of WWE and Mr. McMahon,” and “although Janelle did not participate in the Netflix docuseries, we hope it sheds light on McMahon's heinous actions that frequently took place on WWE premises, and [that] it shows the reality of his abusive and exploitative behavior.” Callis also announced that she and Grant had created “additional firepower” with the hiring of Kendra Barkoff Lamy and her team at PR firm SKDK. Barkoff Lamy has previously worked with accusers of Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein.

Grant, a former WWE employee, filed her lawsuit against McMahon in January. She claims the businessman, known for using his corporate power as a villain in the wrestling ring, coerced her into a sexual relationship after she was hired in 2019 and promised her career advancement while emotionally and physically abusive and sexually assaulting her, including once with John Laurinaitis, WWE's then-head of talent relations. Grant claims McMahon traded her for more threesomes, shared explicit images of her inside and outside the company and ultimately pressured her to sign a nondisclosure agreement to prevent her from speaking about his alleged misconduct. McMahon, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has denied the allegations through his attorneys. Laurinaitis and WWE, both named as co-defendants in the lawsuit, have supported McMahon's denials and did not immediately return requests for comment.

“Not surprisingly, others at WWE knew what was going on,” the lawsuit states. “But rather than stepping in to protect Ms. Grant, WWE actively sought to cover up the misconduct.” The lawsuit says that in the more than two and a half years she was with the company and under McMahon's control, she was “subjected to countless depraved and degrading acts” that left her with “severe and lasting trauma.” The lawsuit notes that Grant is suing not only to alleviate her own suffering, but “also to advocate for those who are afraid to speak out.”

Touted as an “unflinching” look at the controversial manager and wrestling promoter – currently the subject of a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations – Mr McMahon features interviews with McMahon and addresses Grant's lawsuit that forced him out of his position as chairman of WWE's parent company. Grant was reportedly contacted by Netflix's documentary team about participating in the project, but declined an interview.

Callis addressed her absence from the series, repeatedly saying that Grant “deserves the opportunity to tell her full story and not be part of someone else's story.” The attorney also noted that Grant “wants to expedite all proceedings as quickly as possible.”

Grant agreed in May to stay her lawsuit against McMahon for six months while the Justice Department's investigation, which began in 2022, continues. Prosecutors initially looked into millions of dollars in hush-money payments McMahon made to several women during his time as WWE's executive director to quell potential allegations of sexual misconduct. (McMahon is also married to former Trump Cabinet member Linda McMahon, potentially exposing him to negative press over alleged affairs; the two founded the company that became WWE.) All of the women who received those payments in exchange for their silence were once affiliated with the company, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In July, Grant also filed suit against a Connecticut doctor, Dr. Carlon M. Colker, and his clinic, Peak Wellness, seeking access to her medical records in state court. McMahon allegedly directed Grant to seek treatment from Colker, whose clients include other WWE employees. In her lawsuit, she claims Colker refused to tell her what kind of pills and injections he was giving her even after she experienced side effects; she was sexually abused by a Peak Wellness employee and the clinic later failed to provide her with complete and accurate electronic medical records as required by law. (Colker has denied any wrongdoing in the past and declined to comment to the press.) Rolling Stone.) McMahon filed a motion to enjoin Grant from releasing the records. His lawyers argued that their request violated the six-month stay of the case against him, but a judge denied the motion.

Callis confirmed that the stay on Grant's lawsuit, which runs through December, was still in effect this month. She said the nonpublic criminal investigation into McMahon is still active and ongoing. While she and her client hope to get the civil case back on track, there is “no frustration” with the pace of the federal investigation, she added. Referring to her time as a state judge, Callis noted, “I know these things take time, and we want it done right, not quickly.” Asked if charges could be brought against McMahon, Callis said, “That's possible. We're hopeful.”