Daniel McGarrigle, a 39-year-old former production assistant, filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday against Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce, who performs as Shangela, accusing the RuPaul’s Drag Race alum of raping him in a Louisiana hotel room on February 25, 2020. McGarrigle’s suit also alleges sexual harassment, false imprisonment, and violation of the Ralph Act, which bans threats of violence based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion.
Details of the Alleged Incident
According to court documents, McGarrigle alleges the incident occurred during a wrap party for the first season of HBO’s reality series We’re Here, which stars Shangela, Bob the Drag Queen, and Eureka O’Hara. McGarrigle claims Pierce plied him with alcohol, was heavily flirtatious, and later asked him to accompany him to his room to help pack for a flight the following morning. McGarrigle says he felt sick from the alcohol, and Pierce allowed him to lay on his bed fully clothed. McGarrigle alleges that he later awoke to find Pierce attempting to penetrate him after pouring poppers onto him. He claims he screamed “no” but was unable to stop the assault.
Shangela’s Denial and the Investigation
In a statement to the media, Pierce adamantly denied all charges, saying the accusations had been fully investigated and found baseless by investigators. Buckingham Television, which produces We’re Here and was also named in the suit, echoed Pierce’s denials, stating that their investigation found insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
Fear of Job Loss and Continued Employment
McGarrigle claims in the lawsuit that he did not come forward sooner as he feared losing his job as Pierce’s assistant. He continued working for Pierce until July of 2021 when he says he quit following repeated instances of verbal abuse.
Shangela continues to star in We’re Here, a show that documents the visits of three drag performers to small towns across the U.S., introducing locals to the drag experience.
