A Los Angeles judge has rejected rapper Lizzo’s attempt to dismiss most of the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits brought against her by three former dancers.
Lizzo’s lawyers are trying to convince the court that her comments to the employee and other parts of the allegations against her are protected under her First Amendment free speech rights and legal rights. did. lawsuit Files submitted by former employees should be destroyed. But the judge didn’t see it that way. deadline.
Last year, the entertainer faced multiple lawsuits from three former dancers and a former employee alleging sexual harassment, racial discrimination and abuse, which Lizzo completely denies. .
In a ruling released Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Epstein agreed that courts should avoid getting involved in suppressing free speech, but this case goes further than that. I felt it was happening.
“It is dangerous for courts to casually engage in constitutionally protected activity,” Justice Epstein said. “But it is equally dangerous to turn a blind eye to allegations of discrimination or other misconduct simply because they occur in a speech-related environment.”
Still, Judge Epstein agreed to exclude the nude photoshoots created for him. Beware of big Grrrls Whistleblowers Ariana Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noel Rodriguez allege that Lizzo violated their rights by coercing them into participating under duress. The judge ruled that the photo shoot was protected under free speech and would not be included in any future trial.
Nevertheless, Epstein disagreed with Rizzo’s argument that many of the other charges should also be dismissed on free speech grounds.
“The fact that the alleged incidents are taking place in the world of entertainment and speech is not an invincible shield, nor is it permission to ignore the laws put in place to protect Californians,” Epstein wrote.
The three dancers allege in their lawsuits that their virginity status was mocked, their religious beliefs were ridiculed, and they were forced to perform in sex shows under threat of termination while touring with Lizzo. . The lawsuit also alleges racial discrimination by Rizzo’s “all-white management team.”
Ms. Rizzo’s team said they were happy the judge granted some of their demands, but the bigger victory appears to have gone to the dancers who alleged sexual harassment.
“We are very pleased with the judge’s ruling and consider it an absolute victory overall,” said Ron Zambrano, an attorney for the dancers. “He dismissed several allegations, including meetings in which Ariana was fat-shamed, nude photo shoots, and forced dancers to be ‘on call’ while they were not on tour.” But other allegations of sexual, religious and racial discrimination, sexual harassment, humiliating visits to Banana Number in Amsterdam and Crazy Horse in Paris, false imprisonment and assault all remain. ”
“This verdict rightly demonstrates that Lizzo and other public figures are not immune from this type of reprehensible behavior simply because they are famous,” Zambrano added. We now look forward to conducting discovery and preparing the case for trial. ”
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