*Motown icon Smokey Robinson is embroiled in a heated legal battle, filing a $500 million defamation countersuit on May 28 against four former housekeepers who accused him of sexual assault.
The women, listed as Jane Does 1-4, filed a $50 million lawsuit on May 6, alleging repeated rape, sexual battery, false imprisonment, and labor abuses at Robinson’s Los Angeles-area residences from 2007 to 2024. Their attorneys, John Harris and Herbert Hayden, called Robinson a “serial and sick rapist” at a press conference, triggering a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigation.
Robinson’s countersuit, filed with his wife Frances Gladney in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges defamation, financial elder abuse, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It claims the women made “gratuitous and slanderous allegations” to extort $100 million after the Robinsons rejected their demand. The filing says the Robinsons “did not abuse, harm, or take advantage” of the plaintiffs, instead showing them compassion and generosity, citing gifts such as shared vacations as evidence of a familial bond.
We reported earlier… the accusers allege Frances enabled a hostile workplace and ignored Robinson’s misconduct. They claim fear of job loss and retaliation silenced them. Harris and Hayden called the countersuit a “baseless and vindictive legal maneuver” to intimidate survivors, vowing to file an anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss it.
Anti-SLAPP laws safeguard people from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), which are legal actions meant to suppress critics by overwhelming them with costly legal battles aimed at censorship and intimidation.
Scroll to continue reading
Robinson’s legal team also seeks to dismiss the women’s lawsuit, arguing their anonymity hinders a fair defense. According to the countersuit, Ms. Robinson is deeply distressed, not just by the unfounded claims in the complaint, but also by the countless and inexplicable betrayals she has endured.
As the Sheriff’s investigation continues, Robinson, known for classics like “The Tracks of My Tears,” faces a pivotal moment. “I am appalled,” he told the Daily Mail, while his attorney insists, “We welcome that investigation … we feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Smokey Robinson Under Criminal Investigation Following Sexual Assault Allegations
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
