Ex-NFL Star Shawne Merriman: Late Model’s Parents Slam Move to Reduce $4 Million in Wrongful Death

The parents of the Playboy model who died from an overdose while hanging out with ex-NFL star Shawne Merriman and his friends are fighting the attempt to reduce the $4 million they were awarded in court ... TMZ has learned.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ, Deann Fattorini and Ferdinand Fattorini, the parents of Kimberly Fattorini, scoffed at Shawne’s associate Elias Wehbe for trying to cut the judgment.

Elias, a former nightclub promoter and associate of the NFL star, argued the evidence presented wasn’t enough to justify the massive 7-figure sum he was ordered to pay.

Kimberly’s parents attached alleged texts Elias sent on the night their daughter died in 2017 … where he told her to come to his home to do “blow,” aka cocaine. The family argued at trial that Elias liked to get women drugged up in hopes they would be more willing to have sex.

The parents claim Elias watched an inebriated Kimberly get into an Uber with Shawne … despite having read her text about Elias’ friend putting GHB in her drink.

Another alleged text showed the men talking about “whores” at the house and drugs. The parents said there was more than enough evidence at trial to support the judgment … and are asking the judge to keep it in place.

As TMZ first reported, Shawne, Elias and others were ordered to pay $4 million to Kimberly’s parents.

In the suit, Kimberly’s parents claimed Shawne slipped her GHB -- a drug used as date rape -- in her drink. Officials ruled Kimberly’s death an accident but noted she had cocaine, alcohol, and GHB in her system.