Kesha & Dr. Luke Reach Defamation Lawsuit Settlement A Decade After Sexual Assault Allegations -- Read Their Statements
22.06.2023 - 21:43
/ perezhilton.com
[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Kesha and Dr. Luke have reached a settlement in their decade-long legal battle, just weeks before the case was set to head to trial.
As Perezcious readers know, Kesha sued the record producer, born Lukasz Gottwald, in 2014 for sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, alleging he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005. Her filing was submitted in Los Angeles. Luke promptly denied the claims and then filed a countersuit in New York City for breach of contract and defamation. In 2016, Kesha’s request to be released from her recording contract with Luke’s label was denied and she later dropped her Cali case, leaving just the NYC defamation lawsuit.
In 2020, Kesha was ordered to pay $374,000 after a judge ruled she had defamed Luke via a 2016 text to Lady Gaga, in which she alleged he had raped Katy Perry (even though the official found “no evidence whatsoever” to back the claim up). She filed an appeal, content on fighting it out in court, and the case was set to go to trial next month.
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Just last week, the New York Court of Appeals reportedly ruled the Grammy-nominated producer meets the qualifications of a public figure, meaning he would have to “prove the allegedly defamatory statements were made with ‘actual malice,'” the court declared via Variety. He’ll no longer have to do this as the very complicated and contentious battle, which has lasted for nearly 10 years, is finally over.
On Thursday, both parties shared a joint statement on social media announcing they have reached a settlement. As per the deal, they were each required to post a statement with both their reactions. Kesha remarked on Instagr