LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles judge on Tuesday dismissed a $20 million lawsuit accusing Trey Songz of rape after the singer argued the complaint was not valid under a statute of limitations.
Songz's attorney Randall M. Awad confirmed Wednesday to the Los Angeles Times that Judge Shirley K. Watkins scrapped the case after the plaintiff — a woman identified anonymously as Jane Doe — did not oppose the defense's request to dismiss it by the deadline of Oct. 19. A lawyer for Songz's accuser did not immediately respond Wednesday to the L.A. Times' request for comment.
In August, Songz (legal name Tremaine Neverson) filed an objection citing a statute of limitations that would have given Doe a two-year window to take legal action after he allegedly raped her in March 2016. She filed her complaint in July 2022 — four years too late, according to the "Slow Motion" artist, who has denied the allegations.
"The Court finds the argument persuasive and Plaintiff was required to present argument and facts to show that the pleading defect can be cured," Watkins ruled on Tuesday.
"Because Plaintiff did not file an opposition, Plaintiff has not met her burden. The Court finds the action to be time-barred."
Doe claimed in her lawsuit that she and Songz once had "a casual and occasionally sexual relationship" that "changed radically on March 24, 2016" when the musician allegedly anally raped her. The complaint alleged that the woman and Songz were at a party in West Hills when the vocalist turned into a "savage rapist" as Doe "screamed in pain" and "begged ... Songz to stop."
After the rape allegedly occurred, Doe called an Uber driver, who noticed she "was in clear distress" and took her to the nearest hospital, the lawsuit stated. The plaintiff claimed that the medical center performed a sexual assault exam on her, determined that she had suffered "severe anal tearing that could require surgery" and called the Burbank Police Department.
"The alleged victim in this case was a willing participant that, for reasons unknown, later decided to try and cash [in] on the nonexclusive relationship between them, probably because it ended before she hoped," Awad said Wednesday in a statement provided to the L.A. Times.
"The frivolous civil action filed against my client Mr. Neverson, was not intended to seek justice, it was only a bargaining chip that they hoped would lead to a hurried settlement. They were wrong."
Doe is one of multiple women who have accused Songz of sexual misconduct in recent years. Songz has also been accused and arrested in the past on suspicion of domestic violence.
In December 2021, a woman named Jahuara Jeffries filed a different $20 million lawsuit accusing Songz of sexually assaulting her on New Year's Day in 2018. The following month, former college basketball player Dylan Gonzalez vowed to sue the performer for allegedly raping her "at a well known Las Vegas Hotel."
"I want to send my love, strength, and hope to all who are victims of sexual assault and its fatal nature. You are not alone," Gonzalez said on Twitter in January.
"I stand with you and encourage all those who have suffered abuse to speak out and come forward. ... Suppression of our voices only emboldens our oppressors, and you cannot heal what you do not reveal."
In January 2017, "Nope" actor Keke Palmer accused Songz of "sexual intimidation" after he allegedly filmed her without her knowledge and used the footage in one of his music videos without her consent.
"How am I in this video Trey?" Palmer wrote on Twitter at the time, according to Billboard. "After you found me in a closet HIDING because I was so afraid of anymore conflict. Literally my last option was to hide because you all would not listen when I said I did not want to be in the video the FIRST time."
Awad said Wednesday that Songz is "currently considering a potential defamation action against [Doe] and her counsel, as well as others who have been instigating improper and meritless actions against [Songz] in other states."
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