A Los Angeles judge has dismissed Smokey Robinson’s defamation counterclaims against former employees suing the Motown legend for sexual abuse.
In a ruling on Thursday (April 23), Judge Kevin C. Brazile said there isn’t sufficient evidence to hold Robinson’s former anonymous housekeepers and their lawyers liable for calling the singer a rapist at a press conference last year. The decision is not a ruling on the veracity of the women’s underlying sexual assault allegations; it’s focused only on the defamation claims, which are subject to a higher pleading standard due to free speech laws.
In California, a public figure can only move forward with defamation claims if they provide evidence showing that their adversary acted with “actual malice,” meaning that this person knew a statement was false when they said it. Here, Judge Brazile said Robinson did not meet that standard after deposing the housekeepers.
“There is evidence supporting the Robinsons, including inconsistencies and unusual circumstances, like encouraging a sister to work after the assaults,” wrote the judge. “However, the evidence of actual malice does not approach the clear and convincing standard. A jury could credit the testimony of the plaintiffs, including recalling that they reminded Smokey to stop the assaults because he had a wife. Because cross-complainants failed to show actual malice, they did not show a reasonable probability of prevailing on their defamation claims.”
Robinson still has separate...
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