Kesha Sebert and her former producer Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald) have been in a contentious bicoastal authorized battle for almost a decade — however they’ve reached an settlement lower than a month earlier than it was set for trial.
The settlement ends a authorized combat that started in October 2014 with dueling lawsuits; Sebert alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted and needed out of her recording settlement, whereas Gottwald maintained the accusation was false and sued for defamation and breach of contract.
Kesha on Thursday posted each of their statements on her verified Instagram account. Hers reads: “Solely God is aware of what occurred that night time. As I’ve at all times stated, I can’t recount all the pieces that occurred. I’m trying ahead to closing the door on this chapter of my life and starting a brand new one. I want nothing however peace to all events concerned.”
Dr. Luke’s assertion says: “Whereas I recognize Kesha once more acknowledging that she can’t recount what occurred that night time in 2005, I’m completely sure that nothing occurred. I by no means drugged or assaulted her and would by no means do this to anybody. For the sake of my household, I’ve vigorously fought to clear my identify for almost 10 years. It’s time for me to place this troublesome matter behind me and transfer on with my life. I want Kesha properly.”
As a part of their deal, the phrases of which haven’t been made public, every of them is posting each statements.
For almost 9 years they have been engaged in heated, closely-watched litigation. At this level, after claims have been dropped or tossed by the court docket alongside the best way, Gottwald’s defamation declare was headed to trial in New York. The keystone of that dispute was whether or not or not the producer is taken into account a public determine, which might set the next bar for succeeding on a defamation declare. Earlier this month, the New York Courtroom of Appeals reversed an earlier ruling that had discovered Gottwald wasn’t a public determine, a minimum of within the authorized context. With that call not standing, Gottwald would have needed to show that Sebert acted with precise malice — both understanding one thing was false or saying it with reckless disregard for the reality — when she acknowledged that he sexually assaulted her.
Sebert is represented by Daniel Petrocelli and Leah Godesky of O’Melveny and Gottwald is represented by Christine Lepera of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp.
