Topline
A New York judge Tuesday threw out most of the claims in a defamation lawsuit against singer Mariah Carey brought by her brother Morgan over the pop star’s memoir, but allowed the suit to proceed.
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 09: Singer Mariah Carey poses in the press room during the 2018 American … [+]
Key Facts
Justice Barbara Jaffe of the New York State Supreme Court ruled as potentially valid Morgan Carey’s claim that his sister defamed him by describing him in The Meaning of Mariah Carey as “sometimes drug dealing,” and “been-in-the-system,” and that he “supplied beautiful people with their powdered party favors.”
Jaffe dismissed claims of defamation regarding seven other passages in the book, including two that the suit claims falsely accuse him of extorting his sister and seeking payment to murder someone.
Mariah’s representation did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
Morgan’s attorney told Billboard that he was “pleased” Justice Jaffe allowed the suit to proceed.
Key Background
The singer’s older sister, Alison Carey, also sued her for $1.25 million last February over the 2020 book, claiming it contains false claims, including that she abused her younger sister as a child by throwing boiling water on her, giving her Valium and attempting to “pimp her out.” Carey’s book reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list in October 2020.
Tangent
Last July, Carey settled a $3 million lawsuit against her ex-assistant Lianna Shakhnazarian, whom the singer accused of attempting to blackmail her. Shakhnazarian allegedly threatened to release secretly recorded videos of Carey engaging in embarrassing and intimate personal activities if the singer did not give her $8 million, according to court documents seen by Page Six. Carey also claimed her assistant violated a non-disclosure agreement she signed in 2015. The terms of the settlement were not made public.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/masonbissada/2022/02/16/mariah-carey-to-face-defamation-suit-from-her-brother-but-judge-tosses-most-claims/