By filing her lawsuit against YouTuber Smash JT—and in the process revealing his home address—Alyssa Mercante may have found herself in a legal predicament that could become significant as the case unfolds. To complicate matters further for the former Kotaku Senior Editor, the gaming community has rallied behind Smash JT, successfully raising $25,000 to fund his legal defense, led by attorney Ron Coleman of the Dhillon Law Group.
Mercante, who announced her departure from the struggling gaming news site Kotaku earlier this fall, claimed her exit was entirely her decision.
“After exactly two years, I’ve decided to leave Kotaku,” she stated, presenting her departure as a choice she made of her own accord.
This seemed clear-cut, reinforced by comments Mercante made in response to layoffs at the company.
“This decision was made before the layoffs,” she clarified. “But now I’m even more glad I made it.”
Her repeated assertions left little room for alternative interpretations: she left Kotaku voluntarily, unrelated to the turmoil within the organization.
However, her lawsuit against Smash JT, citing claims such as stochastic behavior, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference, introduced an intriguing wrinkle. Buried within page forty-seven of the filing, an unexpected detail came to light—one that may challenge her earlier narrative.
