Knicks’ Eddy Curry countersues former driver

CHICAGO — New York Knicks center Eddy Curry, who is being sued for sexual harassment by a man who worked as his driver, has filed a countersuit claiming the man and his lawyers spread details of confidential settlement discussions. Curry seeks more than $50,000 in damages from Dave Kuchinsky, his lawyers Leslie Levine and Matthew Blit, and their New York-based firm, Levine and Blit, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court. The lawsuit alleges the attorneys briefed reporters on settlement talks that were supposed to remain private. The leaked details, which included that Kuchinsky’s attorneys challenged Curry to take a lie detector test, have “negatively impacted (Curry’s) future NBA employment and endorsements," according to the lawsuit. Levine and Blit did not immediately return telephone messages left by the Associated Press after business hours. Curry also wants a judge to order Kuchinsky and his lawyers not to discuss the case publicly. Kuchinsky sued in US District Court in Manhattan in January, contending Curry owes him $98,000 in back pay and expenses, exposed himself and referred to his Jewish heritage in a derogatory way, calling him a “cracker," ‘‘white slave," ‘‘white devil" and “grandmaster of the KKK." Curry has denied the accusations and portrayed the lawsuit against him as a desperate ploy for money by Kuchinsky, who was his employee for three years ending last October. “Everyone who knows me knows I’m not a racist. I’ve never made a comment like that, playing, or nothing," Curry said when Kuchinsky’s filed the lawsuit. “Aside from the fact I wouldn’t do it because I’m not racist, I wouldn’t do it because I wouldn’t want someone to play with me like that. That’s incredible, man." Curry is married with four children. The 26-year-old player is in his eighth NBA season and fourth with the Knicks. He has been sidelined almost all season because of knee problems. Last month, Curry’s ex-girlfriend, 24-year-old Nova Henry, and her 10-month-old daughter, Ava, were fatally shot in her Chicago town house. Fredrick Goings, Henry’s ex-boyfriend, is charged with first-degree murder in the case. The Chicago Tribune has reported that records show DNA tests prove Curry, who once played for the Chicago Bulls, is Ava’s father. In court prosecutors called the baby Ava Curry Henry and later said they believe she was Curry’s daughter. – GMANews.TV