Sheena Monnin
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born | Sheena Monnin |
|---|---|
| Education | Master's Degree in Psychology |
| Hair color | Brunette[1] |
| Eye color | Brown[1] |
| Title(s) |
Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012 (Resigned) |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss Florida Teen USA 2003 Miss Florida USA 2005 (Top 15) Miss Florida USA 2006 Miss Texas USA 2007 (Top 15) Miss Texas USA 2008 Miss Texas USA 2009 Miss Pennsylvania USA 2010 (1st Runner-Up) Miss Pennsylvania USA 2011 (1st Runner-Up) Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012 (Winner) (Resigned) Miss USA 2012 |
Sheena Monnin is an American beauty queen best known for resigning as Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012 and alleging that the Miss Universe Organization pre-determined the Miss USA 2012 pageant.[2]
Personal life
Sheena Monnin of Cranberry, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services and a Master’s Degree in Psychology.[1]
Miss USA 2012 controversy
In June 2012, Monnin said that another contestant, Karina Brez (as Miss Florida USA),[3] saw the names of the top five on a telecast paper in the same order in which they were called out. Brez later said she had made her comment jokingly. Brez went on to then say that she made the whole thing up, changing her story more than once.[3] Monnin stepped down when what she said were those same contestants were named to the Top 5. Immediately following Monnin's resignation, The Trump Organization publicly denied Monnin's allegations. Following television appearances by Donald Trump and an interview with his attorney, Monnin appeared on the Today Show to give an interview with Ann Curry explaining her position.
On the night of the Miss USA awards, Monnin made a Facebook post calling the pageant "fraudulent," "lacking in morals," "inconsistent," and "in many ways trashy."[4] Because Monnin had signed an agreement that barred her from harming the pageant's reputation until after the Miss USA pageant, the pageant organizers initiated an arbitration proceeding against Monnin for defamation. On December 30, 2012, an arbitrator ruled that she must pay the pageant organization $5 million for defamation,[5] which was affirmed by the district court.[6] Monnin refused to renounce her claims.[2][7][8]
On July 2, 2013 federal Judge J. Paul Oetken upheld the decision that Monnin must pay Donald Trump and the Miss USA pageant (for calling the pageant "fraudulent") even as the ruling stated, "The court does not take lightly that Monnin is compelled to pay ...a devastating monetary award."[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Sheena Monnin - Miss Pennsylvania". NBC.com: "Miss USA". Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin Claims Pageant Rigged". Associated Press via CBS This Morning. June 6, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Beauty pageant wins $5 million over contestant's rigging claim". Reuters. December 18, 2012. Archived from the original on December 18, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ↑ "Donald Trump Teaches a Disgruntled Beauty Queen an ‘Expensive Lesson’ in Arbitration". December 20, 2012.
- ↑ "Sheena Monnin 'shocked' at order to pay Donald Trump's Organization $5m".
- ↑ Miss Universe L.P., LLLP. v. Monnin, 2013 WL 3328241 (S.D.N.Y. July 2, 2013)
- ↑ Kantor, Ira (June 7, 2012). "New Miss USA Sympathizes with Rebel Miss Pennsylvania". Boston Herald. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ↑ Hyman, Vicki (June 6, 2012). "Sheena Monnin Claims Miss USA Fixed, Turns in Miss Pennsylvania Tiara". The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey). Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ↑ "Court to beauty queen: Pay Trump $5M for defamation". NY Post. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
External links
- "Former Miss Pennsylvania: 'I Want the Truth'". Today video excerpt via GlobalBeauties.com. June 8, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
| Preceded by Amber-Joi Watkins |
Miss Pennsylvania USA (Resigned) 2012 |
Succeeded by Jessica Billings |
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