Phoebe Bridgers at Court as Judge Hints That He’ll Nix the Defamation Suit

Phoebe Bridgers was present at a high stakes court hearing on Thursday. “leaning”She requested to be granted her request to strike a defamation suit filed against her by the owner of a recording studio.

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter wasn’t needed for any testimony in the civil case, so her presence was a show of support for her anti-SLAPP motion claiming she was protected by the First Amendment when she accused Sound Space studio owner Chris Nelson of abusive conduct in an October 2020 Instagram post.

SLAPP stands as “strategic lawsuits against public participation,”So an anti-SLAPP Motion is a motion to stop a plaintiff using burdensome litigation in order to censor or intimidate critics exercising the right to free speech.

“I’ve had time to think about this, and I certainly have some formulated thoughts, where I’m at, where I’m leaning,”Before ending the hearing, Judge Kin spoke to the parties. “I’ll tell you outright that I would tend to think that I would grant the anti-SLAPP motion. It would seem to me that the posting by Ms. Bridgers is one that is a matter of public interest. It seems to me that her statements on Instagram are statements that concern a person who’s in the public eye, as well as statements that could directly affect a large number of persons beyond Mr. Nelson and Ms. Bridgers.”

Judge Kin also stated that he believed it to be likely. “matter of public interest when Ms. Bridgers, in her Instagram post, intended to provide protected consumer information to musicians or others who might consider working with the plaintiff.”

According to Judge Kin, Nelson’s attempt to portray himself as a private person for the purposes of anti-SLAPP was “inconsistent”His own lawsuit, in which he describes himself to be a “agent of change.” “well-established”Producer is well-known to musicians and collectors of instruments.

Bridgers, in her 2020 Instagram Story at the Center of the Lawsuit, voiced support for Emily Bannon, her friend, and directed her followers to an Instagram story by Bannon titled, “I stand in Solidarity with those coming forward with allegations against Chris Nelson.”Nelson was accused of fraud, theft and violence in the Bannon thread.

“I witnessed and can personally verify much of the abuse (grooming, stealing, violence) perpetuated by Chris Nelson, owner of a studio called Sound Space,” Bridgers’ post, which appeared on her Instagram account for 24 hours, read. “For anyone who knows [Nelson], is considering working with him, or wants to know more, there is an articulate and mind-blowing account on @emilybannon’s page as a highlight. TRIGGER WARNING for basically everything triggering.”

Nelson sued Bridgers in defamation. “maliciously and intentionally”She knew she was posting her statements. “false.”He alleges that Bridgers, Bannon and other conspirators engaged in a heinous crime. “revenge plot”After his relationship with Bannon ended, he began dating again.

“As a result of defendant Bridgers’ statements, musicians and artists removed plaintiff from their projects and stripped plaintiff of credits that he had obtained in producing their music,” Nelson’s suit claims. He alleges Bridgers’ “misleading”Post caused him to lose business, and he suffered damages in excess of $3.8 million.

Bridgers declined comment Rolling StoneAs she left the courthouse on Thursday.

Nelson had previously sued Bannon in December 2020 for defamation. That case was put on hold in April as Bannon appeals another judge’s order denying her special motion to strike.

In another lawsuit filed in December 2020, Nelson accused formerSaturday Night Liveactress and singer-songwriter Noël Wells of making “false, defamatory, and misleading”Commentary on her allegedly telling Big Thief, an indie rock band, not to collaborate with him in July 2020

A judge later tossed that case after Wells and her legal team argued she sent her cautionary email to Big Thief’s manager in a protected effort to “assist” the band with its right to hire — or not hire — anyone it chooses in the furtherance of its exercise of artistic free speech.

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