CHICAGO — The wife of Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade surrendered to authorities in Chicago on Monday, May 10 and was released an hour later after posting a $10,000 bond.
Siohvaughn (pronounced SHOH'-vahn) Wade's brief stay in custody came a day after a Cook County judge angrily ordered her brought into custody when she failed to appear for a hearing in the couple's divorce.
Adding to the already contentious battle, Mrs. Wade has filed a lawsuit, claiming that her husband’s relationship with actress Gabrielle Union is causing her and the star Miami Heat guard's two sons emotional distress.
Dwyane Wade called the lawsuit "baseless and meritless," and Union issued a statement insisting the allegations are false.
Siohvaughn Wade filed the suit in Chicago during the week of May 5, the latest chapter in the lengthy, often nasty divorce saga between the former high school sweethearts who separated in 2007. She and Dwyane Wade had two sons, ages eight and two, who are listed as plaintiffs.
An attorney for Siohvaughn Wade did not immediately respond to an interview request.
The lawsuit alleges Union “engaged in sexual foreplay” in front of the boys, which “severely inflicted the Plaintiffs emotionally and mentally.” It also claims that the boys received “medium size gifts” from Dwyane Wade for Christmas last year, while Union got "the biggest gift of all.”
“Each and every allegation made is entirely false,” said C. Anthony Mulrain, an attorney for Union.
“Defendant has played sexually explicit roles, including roles as a seductress,” the lawsuit reads. “Defendant has apparently decided to take her role beyond the films and into the home of a married man, Dwyane Wade, in the presence of his two minor children.”
Mulrain, Union's attorney, said the accusations were first made about a month ago in court, although the actress was not named as a defendant at that time.
“The court ultimately rejected these claims as frivolous,” Mulrain said. “Gabrielle apologizes to the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois for tying them up with erroneous claims when there are real victims who should be receiving the legal attention they need.”
The suit also alleges that Wade's oldest son has suffered from anxiety, manifesting itself in “significant hair loss causing bald spots” and that the younger son “is suffering from feelings of rejection and depression.”
Said Dwyane Wade: “My primary concern is my children and actions such as this only inflame the situation and are harmful to their well being.”
Trial in the divorce case has been scheduled for June, although a motion is pending to have that pushed back until September. Dwyane Wade's side remains hopeful that a settlement could be reached beforehand; many have been offered in recent years, all of them refused.
It's also possible that the court could rule on Dwyane Wade's custody plea before the divorce case goes to trial or is settled.
Siohvaughn Wade also recently filed a libel-slander lawsuit against former friend Andrea Williams, who claimed in a deposition that Mrs. Wade bought a man she was romantically involved with from 2004 through 2007 a car and a motorcycle, threatened to find a gun and shoot Dwyane Wade, and voluntarily entered an Illinois hospital to deal with anger-related issues.
Plus, Nottage and Ward LLP, the Chicago law firm that was representing Siohvaughn Wade in the divorce, has been excused from that case after citing "an impasse" and "irreconcilable differences" between attorney and client.
In addition to the divorce proceedings, Wade is also expected in court to face trial in a $25 million lawsuit filed by his former partners in a failed restaurant venture.
Jury selection was set to begin on May 12 in the case over the defunct D. Wade's Place chain. Wade's former partners claim he broke a contract by demanding higher compensation and then abandoning the deal in 2008.
Wade contends in court documents he had every right to end the business relationship. His lawyer says the all-NBA guard plans to attend the two-week trial and is likely to testify.
"It's going to be a very busy summer, challenging summer and important summer for my life off the court and on the court," Wade said last week. "I have big decisions ahead of me. It's not easy."
Photo: Dwyane and Siohvaughn Wade
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