Lizzo asks judge to dismiss “fabricated sob story” against her

nme.com:

Lizzo has described the lawsuit filed against her by her ex-dancers as a “fabricated sob story” and has filed her own motion asking the court to dismiss it.In August, it emerged that three former backup dancers for the singer had sued her for creating a hostile work environment and engaging in sexual harassment, among other allegations.

The incidents are alleged to have taken place between 2021 and 2023.As reported by Rolling Stone, this move now sees Lizzo and her representatives allege that the dancers in question had shown a “pattern of gross misconduct”.The filing states: “Plaintiffs missed flights, arrived late and hungover to rehearsals and drunk to performances, entered into consensual sexual relationships with male crew members on tour, exhibited a rapid decline in the quality of their dancing and professionalism, and ultimately conspired to make and disseminate an unauthorized recording of a creative meeting with Lizzo and the dance cast.”This motion has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit under the anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute, which has the power to strike down lawsuits that threaten free speech.The three dancers, Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez, are represented by the attorney Neama Rahmani, who told Rolling Stone: “Even a first-year law student can see that ‘free speech’ does not cover Lizzo and her team’s illegal sexual harassment and racial, religious, and disability discrimination.

The defense’s declarants are either defendants accused of wrongdoing, or people who are on Lizzo’s payroll, and their statements can’t be considered by the judge.