Judge Dismisses Smokey Robinsons Defamation Claims

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Thursday dismissed defamation claims brought by Motown legend Smokey Robinson and his wife, Frances, against former domestic workers who have accused the singer of sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit. The ruling, issued by Judge Kevin C. Brazile, came in response to an anti-SLAPP motion filed by the plaintiffs, which seeks to protect statements made in the public interest from retaliatory litigation.

The decision focused on comments made by the accusers during a news conference last year, where they described their experiences working for the Robinsons and alleged that the 86-year-old musician was a serial assaulter. Brazile ruled that these statements addressed a matter of public concern, given Robinson's status as a prominent figure and the nature of the sexual assault allegations. Under California's anti-SLAPP law, which safeguards First Amendment rights, the Robinsons needed to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the plaintiffs acted with actual malice, meaning they knew their statements were false. The judge found that while inconsistencies existed in the plaintiffs' accounts, such as one accuser encouraging a relative to...