Photo: WENN
After a New York Supreme Court judge denied Kesha the right to be released from the label run by Dr. Luke, the producer whom she claims raped and abused her, a spokesperson for Dr. Luke has released a statement insisting that "any claim that she isn't 'free' is a myth."
Kesha filed a lawsuit against Dr. Luke back in 2014, claiming that he had sexually and emotionally abused her over the course of a decade. On one occasion, she says, Dr. Luke forced her to snort something before getting on a plane, "and during the trip he forced himself on her while she was drugged."
In her suit, the singer asked to be allowed to record with a label not owned by her alleged abuser. On Friday (19 February), a judge ruled that she could not be released from her contract, and is still obliged to record four more albums under Dr. Luke's label.
After the ruling was met with a wave of anger amongst fans, fellow musicians, and human beings, Dr. Luke's attorney Christine Lepara has released a statement. "The New York County Supreme Court on Friday found that Kesha is already 'free' to record and release music without working with Dr. Luke as a producer if she doesn’t want to," the statement began. "Any claim that she isn’t 'free' is a myth."
What the statement fails to mention is that - although Kesha isn't being forced to work directly with Dr. Luke as a producer - she's still being forced to work under the label he runs.
Lepara continues, "The Court also noted multiple times that her vague abuse allegations were devoid of factual detail, and that there was no evidence, whether from doctors or anyone else, to support them."
Read the full statement from Dr. Luke's attorney below.
"The New York County Supreme Court on Friday found that Kesha is already “free” to record and release music without working with Dr. Luke as a producer if she doesn’t want to. Any claim that she isn’t “free” is a myth. The sound decision Friday by the Court in denying Kesha’s motion for an injunction made it clear Kesha’s allegations of purported abuse were unconvincing and that she had no basis to void record contracts and copyrights. Dr. Luke and his companies invested in Kesha’s success through their contributions, Sony Music has already spent over $11 million promoting Kesha, and Sony Music and its label Kemosabe Records are committed to continuing to promote her work.
More significantly, the Court also noted multiple times that her vague abuse allegations were devoid of factual detail, and that there was no evidence, whether from doctors or anyone else, to support them.
Tellingly, Kesha never reported any purported abuse or rape to any law enforcement authority, or even to Sony Music, and further swore under oath in another matter, while accompanied by her team of lawyers, that it never occurred. The goal of Kesha’s counsel throughout has been to obtain a more lucrative contract through a shameless campaign of outrageous claims they will never stand behind in a court of law.
As Dr. Luke has said repeatedly, the allegations against him are outright lies that have been advanced to extort a contract renegotiation and money. Kesha and her counsel have cavalierly subjected Dr. Luke and his family to trial by Twitter, using a vicious smear campaign to ruin his reputation for financial gain while failing to support their claims. Kesha to date has never verified the allegations in this case -even when given the opportunity in her affidavit. Nor has she ever offered a credible explanation as to why she would have signed a second recording agreement, recorded two albums and an EP and signed a publishing deal with Dr. Luke after allegedly being sexually abused. It will further be shown that the incidents alleged never happened."
