The Leigh Diffey lawsuit is a 2020 Connecticut civil case, Caroline Dranow v. Leigh Diffey, in which the plaintiff sued the NBC Sports announcer on a premises liability theory, alleging he failed to protect her from a sexual assault by another guest at his Ridgefield, Connecticut home in July 2018. Diffey was not accused of committing the assault. He was sued as the homeowner.1Law.com. Dranow v. Diffey Revised Complaint
What the Complaint Alleges
According to the revised complaint filed in the Superior Court for the Judicial District of Danbury, the events took place on the evening of July 24 into the early morning of July 25, 2018, at Diffey’s home at 58 Lewis Drive in Ridgefield. The plaintiff, Caroline Dranow, alleged she was with Diffey and a third individual identified only as “W.P.” that evening. Dranow claimed W.P. made repeated unwanted sexual advances toward her throughout the night, including grabbing her thigh and trying to kiss her against her will while in a vehicle, behavior the complaint said caused her to crash her car.1Law.com. Dranow v. Diffey Revised Complaint
Despite allegedly witnessing that behavior, Diffey invited W.P. back to his home, the complaint said. The lawsuit further alleged that Diffey served alcohol to both W.P. and Dranow, who was underage at the time, and then placed Dranow in a closed bedroom with W.P., telling her he needed to hide her from his wife and children, who were sleeping elsewhere in the house. While confined in that room, the plaintiff alleged, she was sexually assaulted by W.P., who also filmed the encounter without her consent.1Law.com. Dranow v. Diffey Revised Complaint
Why Diffey Was Sued as the Homeowner
The case was brought as a negligence and premises liability claim, not a direct assault claim. W.P. was not named as a co-defendant, and the complaint did not indicate whether W.P. faced any separate criminal or civil proceedings.1Law.com. Dranow v. Diffey Revised Complaint
Dranow’s theory rested on Diffey’s role as homeowner. The complaint argued Diffey had a duty to maintain his property in a reasonably safe condition for lawful guests and breached that duty in several ways: by allowing a “known dangerous and sexually aggressive person” to remain in his home after observing that person’s behavior, by serving alcohol to an underage guest, and by placing the plaintiff in an isolated room with the person who had already demonstrated aggressive sexual conduct toward her. The complaint sought monetary damages, interest, and costs, with the demand stated as exceeding $15,000, the threshold for a claim in Connecticut Superior Court.1Law.com. Dranow v. Diffey Revised Complaint
Where the Case Was Filed and Its Status
The action was filed on July 27, 2020, and assigned to Judge Barbara Brazzel-Massaro in the Superior Court for the Judicial District of Danbury under docket number DBD-CV20-6036690-S. It was classified as a tort action for defective premises on private property, and a revised complaint dated November 25, 2020, formalized the allegations.2Trellis Law. Dranow v. Diffey, Motion for Order of Compliance The Connecticut Law Tribune reported on the suit in August 2021.3Connecticut Law Tribune. NBC Sports’ Diffey Named in Premises Liability Lawsuit Involving Alleged Rape by Third Party at His Home
No publicly available records in the research indicate that the case has proceeded to trial, been settled, or been dismissed. As of the most recent available court records, the matter appeared to remain on the docket without a final resolution.
The Connecticut Law Behind the Claim
Connecticut enacted a social hosting statute in 2015 that makes it a Class A misdemeanor for a person who owns or controls a dwelling to knowingly permit an underage person to possess alcohol on the property, or to fail to take reasonable efforts to stop it. A conviction can carry up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.4Connecticut General Assembly. Social Host Liability for Minors
On the civil side, Connecticut does not have a specific social host liability statute, but common law principles allow hosts who serve alcohol to minors to face civil liability for resulting injuries in certain circumstances. The Dranow complaint combined that social hosting concern with a broader premises liability argument: that Diffey’s alleged conduct went beyond serving alcohol to a minor and extended to actively creating a dangerous situation by isolating the plaintiff with a person he knew to be sexually aggressive.4Connecticut General Assembly. Social Host Liability for Minors