By Andrew DaltonAP Leisure Author
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Smokey Robinson’s lawyer stated allegations of rape and sexual assault towards him in a lawsuit from 4 former housekeepers are “vile” and “false.”
Lawyer Christopher Frost stated in an announcement Could 7 that the proof “will present that that is merely an unpleasant technique of attempting to extract cash from an 85-year-old American icon.”
The go well with filed in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom on Could 6 towards the Motown music luminary seeks at the very least $50 million in damages over the alleged assaults, which the ladies say came about between 2007 and 2024. Robinson’s spouse, Frances Robinson, can also be named as a defendant for allegedly enabling his habits and creating an abusive work surroundings.
“We will probably be addressing the quite a few features of the grievance that defy credulity in addition to points regarding purported timelines, inconsistencies, and relationships between the plaintiffs and others,” Frost’s assertion stated.
The 4 ladies every allege that Smokey Robinson would wait till he was alone with them in his Los Angeles home after which sexually assault and rape them, in some instances for a few years.
“We consider that Mr. Robinson is a serial and sick rapist, and have to be stopped,” the ladies’s lawyer John Harris stated at a information convention Could 6.
The Related Press doesn’t determine individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted except they publicly determine themselves. The ladies, whose names are withheld within the lawsuit, appeared with their legal professionals on the information convention. They didn’t communicate, they usually lined their faces with masks.
Frost known as the information convention “weird theatrics,” and an try to “enlist the general public as an unwitting participant within the media circus they’re attempting to create. We ask anybody following this case to order judgment because the proof involves mild and all of the precise information of the case unfold.”
The plaintiffs’ legal professionals, Harris and Herbert Hayden, stated in an announcement Could 8 in response to Frost, “We stand behind our 4 shoppers’ truthful claims, that are neither false nor vile, however clearly describe Mr. Robinson’s despicable legal acts.”
One girl stated she labored for Robinson from 2012 till 2024 and was assaulted at the very least 20 occasions in that span. One other stated she labored for him from 2014 till 2020 and was assaulted at the very least 23 occasions.
All the accusers stated they finally give up over the assaults, although in some instances it took a number of years. And all stated they feared coming ahead over fears of retaliation, public disgrace and attainable results on their immigration standing. The identical fears have stored the ladies from going to police to report Robinson, their legal professionals stated, although in addition they stated they consider legal investigation is warranted.
The go well with seeks damages based mostly on sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and different allegations.
Frost stated Robinson would quickly deal with the allegations himself, and that they’d be asking the court docket to dismiss the lawsuit.
Robinson, a member of each the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame and the Songwriters Corridor of Fame, was among the many largest hitmakers of the Nineteen Sixties as a central a part of the Motown Data machine — each together with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, with songs together with “Tears of a Clown” and “The Tracks of My Tears.”
