BALTIMORE — Horrifying abuse accusations dating back decades emerged in a Baltimore County Circuit Court filing this week; a lawsuit alleges ring announcer Mel Phillips sexually abused boys who worked for him throughout his time with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
"These are now men that, when they are in their teens, enticed, lured, and groomed by a public-facing official with the WWE," Greg Gutzler, an attorney representing plaintiffs labeled as John Does in the suit, told WMAR.
Gutzler says the 'ring boys' were sexually abused on a systemic basis, and no one stepped in.
"Each of our John Does, the plaintiffs here, were hurt in Baltimore or the greater Maryland area. So, we have some from Landover, from the Capital Centre. Most were from Baltimore, the Civic Center, and the Baltimore Arena, which it was known as," Gutzler said.
RELATED: New lawsuit alleges child sexual abuse of WWE 'ring boys' in Maryland
Phillips died in 2012; the lawsuit filed this week is directed at WWE, Vince and Linda McMahon, and TKO Group Holdings.
"It's just unbelievable that they would keep someone like that around. A child molester," said John Doe 2 in a prepared video from Gutzler's Dicello Levit firm.
"Those were people that were in charge. Those were the people that had the knowledge that Mel Phillps, Pat Patterson, and Terry Garvin were part of a pedophile ring with the WWE," Gutzler explained.
An attorney for Vince McMahon provided the Associated Press with this statement:
"We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find that these claims are untrue and unfounded."
McMahon resigned from WWE's parent company at the beginning of this year after a separate federal sex trafficking suit.
In Maryland last year, lawmakers removed the statute of limitations on sexual abuse suits.
Gutzler describes that as a 'window' for John Does to have their voices heard; he told WMAR they want a jury to hear his team's evidence and deliver a verdict.
"We want to make sure we find a way to find change for the future. So, you have to find accountability, recognition of the problems, and then you can finally have those problems redressed," said Gutzler.
