Megan Thee Stallion and Roc Nation should maintain preventing authorized claims from a cameraman who says he was compelled to look at the rapper have intercourse in a automobile throughout a European tour, a federal choose has dominated.
In an opinion dated Wednesday (July 2), Decide Gregory H. Woods says cameraman Emilio Garcia has pleaded adequate information to proceed litigating bombshell discrimination and retaliation claims he brought last spring in opposition to the star (Megan Pete) and her administration firm.
Of their bid to dismiss the case, Megan and Roc Nation have known as Garcia a “con artist” and deny that the star compelled him to look at her have intercourse with a lady inside a shifting automobile whereas on tour in Ibiza, Spain, in 2022. However Decide Woods says the cameraman, who’s homosexual, “plausibly pleads that the alleged sexual encounter within the SUV in Ibiza created a hostile work atmosphere based mostly on plaintiff’s sexual orientation.”
“Plaintiff asks the court docket to attract the inference that ‘Pete wouldn’t have engaged in group intercourse with different girls in entrance of a heterosexual male’; that ‘Pete felt comfy partaking in group intercourse with different girls in entrance of plaintiff due to plaintiff’s sexuality and gender,’” writes the choose. “This isn’t an unreasonable inference to attract from the information alleged. Due to this fact, plaintiff has plausibly pleaded that he skilled the alleged inferior circumstances of his employment on account of his sexual orientation.”
The order additionally declines to dismiss Garcia’s retaliation claims in opposition to Megan and Roc Nation, which allege he had his hours and pay charges in the reduction of after complaining concerning the SUV incident. Garcia says he was later fired from Megan’s entourage and “blackballed” from working elsewhere within the leisure business.
“These information increase an inexpensive inference that materials phrases and circumstances of plaintiff’s employment have been altered in retaliation for talking up concerning the Ibiza incident,” writes Decide Woods.
Whereas Megan and Roc Nation should now maintain preventing these blockbuster claims, they did achieve paring again Garcia’s lawsuit. Decide Woods’ order dismisses a further hostile work atmosphere declare beneath California regulation, in addition to aiding and abetting allegations and additional time wage claims.
Reached for touch upon the ruling on Monday (July 7), Garcia’s lawyer, Ron Zambrano, tells Billboard that the order will enable him to re-plead the dismissed claims in an amended grievance.
“We’ve got loads of information after fourteen depositions we’ve taken to get the information in we want,” Zambrano says. “I’m certain.”
A spokesperson for Megan and Roc Nation didn’t instantly return a request for touch upon the choice.