It is not clear whether Bieber’s attorneys reached a settlement with the two Twitter users who accused him of sexual assault in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Justin Bieber has dropped a $20-million defamation lawsuit he filed against two women who accused him of sexual assault on Twitter.
According to The Los Angeles Times, attorneys for the 28-year-old singer requested a dismissal of the defamation lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2020.
The request for a dismissal, says the Times¸ was made with prejudice—meaning that Bieber cannot refile his claims against the two Jane Doe defendants named in the existing lawsuit.
Court documents do not indicate whether Bieber and the two pseudonymous defendants reached a settlement.
However, an attorney for the singer said that Bieber had simply decided to move on.
“Justin has decided to move on and dismiss the case for defamation filed in 2020,” said Evan Spiegel, of Lavely & Singer P.C.
The Los Angeles Times notes that Bieber filed the $20-million lawsuit in June 2020.
The complaint was filed in response to two women who claimed, over Twitter, that Bieber had sexually assaulted them: one in 2014, and the other in 2015.
Bieber has long maintained that the Twitter testimonies are “outrageous lies” that are “probably fabricated” and “factually impossible.”
“I don’t normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight,” Bieber wrote on Twitter shortly after the allegations went viral.
“In the past 24 hours a new Twitter appeared that told a story of myself involved with sexual abuse on March 9, 2014 in Austin Texas at the Four seasons hotel,” he added. “I want to be clear. There is no truth to this story. In fact as I will soon show I was never present at that location.”
Bieber further responded to the allegations by posting a series of tweets that included images, news articles, and other information on his whereabouts on the dates of the alleged assaults—all of which indicated that Bieber could not have sexually assaulted either woman.
While the defamation lawsuit is now being dismissed, Bieber’s attorneys insist that the singer was never party to sexual assault.
Celebrity attorney Martin Singer, who filed the lawsuit, said that Bieber only turned to the courts to “clear his name and set the record straight.”
When the complaint was first filed, Bieber’s legal team said they had “indisputable documentary” evidence that the two Jane Does had made up their stories for attention and personal gain.
Sources
Justin Bieber Drops Defamation Lawsuit Over Sexual Assault Allegations
Justin Bieber drops lawsuit against Twitter users who accused him of sexual assault
Justin Bieber files to dismiss defamation lawsuit over assault claims
Justin Bieber sues for defamation over sexual-assault claims he says he can prove are false
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