Neil Portnow, the previous chairman and president of the Recording Academy, was sued on Wednesday by a girl who claimed he drugged and raped her in a New York resort room in 2018, in keeping with the New York Occasions.
The allegation had beforehand surfaced in 2020 as a part of a blockbuster authorized declare filed by Portnow’s successor, Deborah Dugan, after she was abruptly positioned on depart and in the end terminated after simply eight months on the job; on the time Portnow known as the allegations “ludicrous, and unfaithful.”
The brand new swimsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court docket in Manhattan, accuses Portnow, who stepped down in 2019, of sexual battery, and accuses the academy — the nonprofit group behind the Grammys — of negligence. Dugan’s declare additionally mentioned the Recording Academy’s board was conscious of the allegations.
The swimsuit doesn’t identify the girl, however it describes her as an instrumentalist from outdoors the USA who as soon as carried out at Carnegie Corridor. The courtroom papers embrace redacted associated correspondence the girl, who has not spoken of the incident publicly till now, exchanged with the academy in 2018.
“Neil Portnow offers lip service to girls as standing up,” mentioned Jeffrey R. Anderson, a lawyer for the plaintiff, in keeping with the Occasions. “However he does a disservice to each girl and each musician who’s being oppressed by him and others. This isn’t nearly Neil Portnow and never simply in regards to the Recording Academy, however in regards to the tradition within the music and leisure business and its doublespeak about rape and abuse.”
Anderson’s remark makes reference to Portnow’s controversial assertion at that 12 months’s Grammys, by which he responded to a query from a Selection reporter by saying that feminine artists and executives wanted to “step up” in an effort to advance within the music business.
In an announcement, a consultant for Portnow known as the allegations false, and mentioned they have been “the product of the plaintiff’s creativeness and undoubtedly motivated by Mr. Portnow’s refusal to adjust to the plaintiff’s outrageous calls for for cash and help in acquiring a residence visa for her.”
“The most recent incarnation” of her accusations, he mentioned, “presents a ‘new and improved’ story, padding it with much more outrageous and unfaithful allegations.”
The Recording Academy mentioned in an announcement to Selection: “We proceed to consider the claims to be with out advantage and intend to vigorously defend the Academy on this lawsuit.”
Within the swimsuit, the plaintiff claims she met Portnow at a Recording Academy occasion in January 2018, when the newest 12 months that Grammys have been held in New York. She says invited her to the ceremony, and later instructed her he would return to New York within the spring. The 2 met at his resort that June.
Portnow greeted her within the foyer and introduced her to his room, the swimsuit continues, the place he gave her Grammy memorabilia and supplied her a glass of wine. She drank however he didn’t, she says within the swimsuit, and he or she “started to really feel woozy.” She instructed him she needed to go away however he mentioned no taxis have been obtainable, it continues.
The swimsuit says that Portnow then instructed the girl, “I’ve been fascinated by you for a really very long time,” earlier than she handed out. She claims she awoke a number of occasions all through the evening whereas Portnow was sexually assaulting her. The swimsuit claims that Portnow is ignored a number of later makes an attempt by the girl to contact him. Nevertheless, it consists of and picture of a November 2018 e-mail from a lawyer for Portnow to the girl by which he wrote, “Please know that I’ve all the time revered you in each approach always, each professionally and personally. I bear in mind your indicating your curiosity and perception within the teachings of Buddha and I discovered this saying which resonates with you now: ‘Higher than a thousand hole phrases, is one phrase that brings peace.’”
The swimsuit states that the girl later filed a police report naming Portnow, in keeping with the swimsuit, though the district legal professional’s workplace had declined to prosecute.
On Wednesday, a rep for Portnow mentioned that after the girl’s preliminary accusation, he “instantly enlisted the Academy’s HR Division to evaluation the nonsensical textual content messages and emails that he made instantly obtainable. An out of doors impartial investigation, led by top-tier legal professionals, reviewed all related texts, emails, interviewed witnesses and located completely no proof to assist any of the allegations.” Nevertheless, the girl’s criticism states that she was by no means interviewed as a part of any academy investigation.
