By Steven J. Horowitz
Marilyn Mason Files Request to Dismiss Esmé Bianco's Sexual Assault Charges | Billboard News
Singer-songwriter The-Dream, best known for his work with Beyoncé and Rihanna, has filed a motion to dismiss and toss large portions of a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against him in early June by a woman named Chanaaz Mangroe.
In court documents seen by Variety, legal representatives for The-Dream (real name Terius Gesteelde-Diamant) are seeking numerous amendments to Mangroe's complaint. His legal team is seeking to have the rape claim tossed on the grounds that it is not a separate civil case under California law, as well as 300 paragraphs that are "irrelevant" or "intentionally taken out of context." They also argue that Mangroe's sex trafficking claims lack the requisite elements, including a "commercial sex act," and want his label, Contra Paris, LLC, to be removed from the lawsuit because its operations are based in Delaware and therefore lack personal jurisdiction in California.
"The complaint is a textbook example of shotgun pleading and must be dismissed in its entirety because it fails to specifically identify factual allegations against each defendant," The-Dream's attorney Desirée F. Moore said in a statement. "Plaintiff's complaint contains dozens of allegations that are completely irrelevant to her claims of sexual assault and sex trafficking and instead serve solely to tarnish Diamant's name and reputation."