Kurt Busch's lawyers accuse Patricia Driscoll of perjury
Kurt Busch's lawyers aren't mincing words in their final statements in the hearing for Patricia Driscoll's request for a no-contact order against the Sprint Cup Series driver.
Driscoll is requesting the order after accusing Busch of assault in his motorhome in September. She says Busch slammed her head into the wall of his motorhome three times. Busch denies the assault allegations.
"We respectfully request that the Court not reward her perjury and scorched-earth approach of destruction by granting her a protective order," his attorney Rusty Hardin wrote in his closing arguments. "There is only one person in this duo that needs protection, and it is not Patricia Driscoll — it is Kurt Busch."
Busch testified during the hearing that he believed she was a trained assassin. Driscoll responded to Busch's claim by saying he was getting fact and fiction mixed up because of a movie script she's been working on. She's also said Busch is battling alcoholism and depression.
The couple broke up during the 2014 season. The evening of the alleged incident, Driscoll came to Busch's motorhome at Dover and Busch claims he repeatedly told her to leave and she did not do so.
Driscoll, who works for a military contracting company, has said she feared Busch. A video titled "Pocket Commando" about Driscoll's military-centered lifestyle has been taken off YouTube because of a copyright claim by Driscoll.
The closing statements from each party were filed Tuesday and Wednesday. A ruling is expected soon.
Throughout the trial Driscoll was asked if she agreed that she did not fear Busch, but she said over and over that she still feared the driver and said she could not believe he had attacked her and was not sure if he would do it again.
That is enough for the court to issue a protection order, Driscoll's attorney, Carolyn McNeice, argued in her summation. The argument by Busch's attorney — that no protection is necessary unless abuse is present and ongoing — would create a barrier to every person seeking protection from abuse.
"Such a requirement would be a dangerous, impossible burden," McNeice wrote. She added that Driscoll testified that she did find texts from Busch following the attack to be threatening, though not physical.
Any NASCAR punishment for Busch would be decided after the no-contact order decision.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
