HOUSTON -- It’s the battle of the Dallas Cowboy versus the former beauty queen from Tomball. Cowboy receiver Roy Williams is taking his former girlfriend to court over an engagement ring he sent her in the mail.
In a lawsuit filed last week, Williams said former Miss Texas USA Brooke Daniels rejected his Valentine’s Day marriage proposal so he wants his $76,000 ring back.
Williams, who starred at the University of Texas, said in an affidavit that he asked Daniels to return the ring but she claimed she lost it.
Williams’ insurance company launched an investigation and discovered Daniels’ father, Michael, had the ring, according to the affidavit.
Michael Daniels, who lives in Tomball, told the Odessa American that he would return the ring to avoid the lawsuit.
"I want to wash my hands of it," Daniels told the newspaper by telephone Tuesday. "It’s just a hassle. I’ll take care of my daughter. I don’t need him."
Daniels claimed Williams originally told Brooke that he didn’t want the ring back because he thought she would "eventually come back."
Brooke Daniels couldn’t be reached for comment and Williams isn’t talking.
Several Houston shoppers at Shaw’s Jewelry and Loan at 1014 W. Gray in Montrose said they were unimpressed by the mail order bride approach, even though the package did include a $76,000 engagement ring.
“He's that busy?” asked Aisha Anderson, who described herself as “single to mingle.”
We wondered what a $76,000 engagement ring looks like.
“It’s a 3.0 6 carat E color S.I.1,” said Manager Alex Rodriguez after he pulled out a very big ring.
Should she give it back?
“It was a gift to me, so why should I give it back? Apparently you didn't want it -- if you sent it through the mail,” said Anderson as she laughed.
Heavy-hitter Houston divorce attorney Bobby Newman shared the lowdown on the ring scenario.
“If boy is at fault girl gets to keep the ring. If girl is at fault the boy gets to keep the ring. If neither is at fault and they go their separate ways, the ring goes back to boy,” he said.
"At fault" means breaking off the engagement, or say cheating on the fiancée.
Newman added that engagement ring controversies are common with divorce attorneys. He’s handled about half a dozen of them.
He recalled a client who wanted his $225,000 engagement ring back.
“He’d spent probably $70,000 in legal fees fighting over it. Three weeks after I got it back for him legally, he gave it to her and got engaged and they are married today,” Newman said.
That was seven years ago. Unfortunately not every engagement story has a happy ending.
If the big diamond ring does end up with girl and there is no wedding, does she have to pay gift tax on it?
“He could also be required to pay taxes on the ring,” Newman said.
That depends on his tax situation and if the ring is worth more than $13,000.
