Tuesday, June 17, 2025
The Locust Valley Central School District, along with Kimberly and Gianna Gotti, the wife and daughter of John Gotti Jr., faces a federal lawsuit seeking $50 million in damages after an alleged assault at a high school basketball game last year.
The lawsuit, filed on Feb. 7 in U.S. District Court, stems from an altercation on Feb. 8, 2024, during a game between Locust Valley and Oyster Bay high schools. Plaintiffs Jean and Crystal Etienne, of Upper Brookville, accuse the Gottis of physically attacking them and their son, a Locust Valley High student, after an escalating verbal confrontation. The suit also alleges that school administrators failed to prevent the attack or intervene once it began, despite witnessing the Gottis’ behavior throughout the game.
According to the suit, the Gottis were allowed to remain in the gym despite allegedly shouting at players and spectators. The Etienne family claims that school officials removed some of the children the Gottis had verbally, harassed but took no action against Kimberly and Gianna.
The complaint alleges that the failure to act was part of a broader pattern in the district, in which students and instructors allegedly used racial slurs without consequence. It also names Superintendent Kristen Turnow and Danielle Turner, director of health, physical education and athletics, as responsible parties who should have defused the situation, and failed to stop the alleged violence when it occurred.
“Defendants Turner, Turnow and District, who were and are responsible for oversight of all interscholastic athletic events at the Locust Valley High School, failed to take any preemptive acts or any form of intervention to prevent or stop or curtail the ongoing abuse and acts of intimidating, threatening, demeaning and disrespecting the Black Plaintiffs,” the complaint reads. “Further, Turner, Turnow, the District and their employees, agents, supervisors, administrators, officials, and others who were present … witnessed and learned that the actions, language, threats, abuses were aimed at and directed to Locust Valley students and spectators, including Plaintiffs.”
Neither the Etiennes nor the Gottis’ attorney could be reached for comment, and school district representatives declined to comment.
Kimberly Gotti’s husband, John “Junior” Gotti, is the former acting boss of the Gambino crime family.
The lawsuit claims that the altercation began when the Gottis shouted expletives and racial slurs at players and spectators in the stands, including the Etiennes’ son, who was playing in the game. Crystal Etienne asked them to stop, the suit alleges, at which point the Gottis physically attacked her.
“Ms. Etienne was brutally physically assaulted by Defendants, Gianna Gotti and Kimberly Gotti in front of students, staff, faculty, referees, administration and agents,” the Etiennes wrote in the legal complaint. “Crystal felt her hair being pulled, a wig that was secured by three clips and Velcro began to be yanked at, causing a serious head injury.”
The lawsuit describes the assault as “vicious, public and witnessed by many of those persons who (were) in attendance.” Video of the incident was reportedly shared on social media.
Jean Etienne and his son allegedly attempted to intervene but were also assaulted, the lawsuit claims, adding that the attack resulted in “physical injury and emotional distress” for the family.
The complaint alleges that the school district ignored years of racist incidents and tolerated “degrading” behavior at Locust Valley High School. The Etiennes claimed their son had been “accosted with phrases such as ‘F(------) monkey’” and other racial and derogatory slurs.
The Gottis were arrested on misdemeanor assault charges after the incident, but the charges were dismissed in October 2024 due to what the plaintiffs call a “technicality.”
The Gottis have maintained their innocence, and repeatedly rejected plea deals that would have required that they take part in anger management programs. They argue that their family’s history has made them a target.
The Etiennes’ lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, alleging lasting emotional and physical harm suffered by the family. The Gottis have vowed to countersue.
