Music government LA Reid has been denied a sexual assault lawsuit filed in opposition to him by former Arista Information worker Drew Dixon. On Tuesday, August 13, Decide Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York dominated that Dixon’s lawsuit in opposition to Reed ought to proceed, denying his movement to dismiss a number of claims.
Dixon, who labored at Arista Information underneath Reed almost 20 years in the past, alleges the veteran music government sexually assaulted her twice throughout her tenure. Her lawsuit alleges sexual battery and sexual assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional misery and violation of New York Metropolis’s gender-motivated violence regulation.
Reed sought to dismiss the case on a wide range of grounds, together with the statute of limitations and points associated to the place the case was filed. Nevertheless, Decide Caproni held that the costs of false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional misery weren’t topic to the statute of limitations underneath the New York Grownup Survivors Act. The invoice, handed in 2022, would enable sexual assault survivors to file lawsuits even when the authorized deadline for such claims has handed.
The choose additionally dominated that the occasions described in Dickson’s grievance had been materially related to the Southern District of New York and confirmed that the venue for submitting the lawsuit was acceptable.
Drew Dixon’s lawsuit shines a light-weight on allegations which have forged a shadow over the music business for many years. Her accusations in opposition to L.A. Reid, one of many business’s most influential figures, have attracted widespread consideration, particularly in gentle of the broader #MeToo motion that has engulfed numerous industries, together with the leisure business.
Dixon has been outspoken about her experiences with sexual harassment and assault within the music business. Her accusations in opposition to Reed are half of a bigger narrative she has shared publicly, detailing the challenges and trauma she confronted whereas working within the male-dominated music business.
The case has now moved ahead, with Decide Caproni’s ruling guaranteeing Dixon’s claims will probably be heard in court docket. The event marks an vital second within the ongoing dialog about accountability and justice inside the music business, as high-profile figures like Reed are more and more known as to account for previous actions.
Reed, who has had a storied profession within the music business, founding LaFace Information and main main labels similar to Arista Information and Epic Information, has but to remark publicly on the lawsuit following the newest ruling. The problem of sexual harassment and assault within the office is prone to proceed to attract consideration because the case progresses.
