Updated
Updated · MyNewsLA.com · Jul 11
Tyler Perry Lawyers Fight July 22 Deposition Motion, Allege Multimillion-Dollar Settlement Pressure
Updated
Updated · MyNewsLA.com · Jul 11

Tyler Perry Lawyers Fight July 22 Deposition Motion, Allege Multimillion-Dollar Settlement Pressure

1 articles · Updated · MyNewsLA.com · Jul 11

Summary

  • New court papers say Tyler Perry had already agreed to sit for a Dec. 9 deposition, and his lawyers want a judge to deny Mario Rodriguez’s motion to compel testimony at a July 22 hearing.
  • Perry’s attorneys argue Rodriguez filed a “frivolous” public motion only after floating a multimillion-dollar settlement, calling it an effort to damage Perry’s reputation and force a payout.
  • The dispute has centered on questions about Perry’s sexual orientation: Rodriguez’s side says the defense sought to bar them, while Perry’s lawyers call the topic irrelevant, prejudicial and disconnected from the assault claims.
  • Rodriguez, who appeared in “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” accuses Perry of sexual assault and battery and of using his Hollywood power to make sexual advances; Perry has denied the claims and says Rodriguez suffered no damages.

Insights

Is questioning a defendant's sexuality in court a valid legal strategy or a prejudicial witch hunt?
Is a rejected settlement proof of a money grab or a genuine quest for justice?