Smokey Robinson sues former housekeepers for defamation over rape allegations
Robinson and his wife Frances Robinson filed the counterclaim Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against the women and their lawyers, whose allegations, they say, were 'fabricated in an extortionate scheme.'
The filing is a fast and forceful legal and public pushback from the 85-year-old Motown music luminary in response to the women's May 6 lawsuit and a May 15 announcement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department that its Special Victims Bureau is 'actively investigating criminal allegations' against Robinson.
The women are seeking at least $50 million, alleging Smokey Robinson repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted them in his home when they worked for him between 2007 and 2024. They said Frances Robinson, a co-defendant, enabled him and created an abusive workplace.
The counterclaim opens with friendly text messages from the women to contradict their claims against Robinson, whose songs, including 'Tears of a Clown' and 'The Tracks of My Tears," established him among the biggest hitmakers of the 1960s.
The filing says the women 'stayed with the Robinsons year after year,' vacationed with them, celebrated holidays with them, exchanged gifts with them, asked for tickets to his concerts, and sought and received help from them including money for dental surgery, financial support for a disabled family member, and 'even a car.'
The filing — which includes photos from the vacations and gatherings as exhibits — says that despite the couple's generosity, the women 'secretly harbored resentment for the Robinsons and sought to enrich themselves through the Robinsons' wealth.'
'Unfortunately, the depths of Plaintiffs' avarice and greed know no bounds,' the counterclaim says. 'During the very time that the Robinsons were being extraordinarily generous with Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs were concocting an extortionate plan to take everything from the Robinsons.'
John Harris and Herbert Hayden, attorneys for the former housekeepers, said in a statement that the defamation suit 'is nothing more than an attempt to silence and intimidate the survivors of Mr. Robinson's sexual battery and assault. It is a baseless and vindictive legal maneuver designed to re-victimize, shift blame and discourage others from coming forward.'
The lawyers said they intend to get the Robinsons' lawsuit thrown out by invoking California's laws against using the courts to silence and intimidate people who sue.
The four women, whose names are withheld in their lawsuit, each allege that Robinson would wait until they were alone with him in his Los Angeles house and then sexually assault and rape them. One woman said she was assaulted at least 20 times while working for Robinson from 2012 until 2024. Another said she worked for him from 2014 until 2020 and was assaulted at least 23 times.
The Sheriff's Department would give no details on its investigation beyond confirming its existence.
Robinson, who was a central figure in the Motown Records machine with his group the Miracles and as a solo artist, is a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Filler-loving Indiana sheriff's wife ruins plea deal with arrogant TV interview
A lip filler-loving sheriff's wife ruined her own plea deal after a judge heard an arrogant TV interview she gave just before court. Misty Noel, 51, along with her estranged husband Jamey Noel, 54, and their daughter, Kasey Noel, 28, were charged with a slew of felonies in 2024 for spending as much as $5 million on credit cards the disgraced sheriff opened in the name of the volunteer fire agency he ran in southern Indiana, authorities said. The specific expenditures allegedly made by various members of the Noel family included $56,000 on luxury cigars, more than $300,000 on vacation and travel, $25,000 on a small plane, cosmetic procedures, tanning, clothing, and vape products, according to search warrants for the family's homes and cars. While Jamey, the former Clark County Sheriff, accepted his own plea deal nearly a year after he and his family were arrested in 2023, Misty pleaded guilty just last week. Misty was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Thursday, but just a day before, she sat down for a one-on-one interview sharing her side of the story. During the interview with WLKY, Misty said she did not 'knowingly and intentionally' commit the crime of theft, Special Judge Larry Medlock ruled Monday before throwing her plea deal out the window. 'As far as there being intent, I never intended to hurt people. I've worked my whole life as a nurse. I have worked this entire time and, you know, my position is to take care of people,' Misty said in the interview. 'So the fact that, even though what I've done was unknowingly, but it has harmed a series of people, and not just my children, but other people who have been drug [sic] into this - it's pained me and it's really saddened me.' In 2024, Misty, her estranged husband Jamey Noel, 54, and their daughter, Kasey Noel, 28, were charged with a slew of felonies for spending as much as $5 million on the credit cards Jamey had opened in the name of the volunteer fire agency he ran. (Pictured: Misty and Jamey) After the judge watched the damning two-part interview, he decided a jury will now have to determine if she is guilty or not. 'The court cannot find an individual guilty if they profess and maintain their innocence,' Medlock wrote. He said the guilty plea will now be axed and a trial date will soon be set for Misty. While she heard the judge tell her the next steps, Misty appeared teary-eyed as she sat next to her attorney Bart McMahon before being escorted out in handcuffs. The order stated that the court will now hold a hearing to set aside the guilty plea, also known as a Rule to Show Cause hearing. During the Rule to Show Cause hearing, she will have to explain why she shouldn't be held in contempt of court. It is unclear when the hearing will take place. Daily Mail contacted McMahon for comment but did not immediately hear back. On Thursday, Misty pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and five of tax evasion. During a May hearing, both the prosecution and defense brought a conditional plea deal to the table, meaning Misty would plead guilty to the crimes. As part of the deal, she would also have to repay approximately $660,800 in restitution to New Chapel EMS, as well as more than $29,000 to the Indiana Department of Revenue. She was also set to serve up to six years - a total of 18 months in prison and four-and-a-half years of probation, under the plea deal. After accepting her plea deal, Medlock called the case 'an assault to the trusting citizens of Clark County.' Her husband Jamey, who said he and his family had no idea of the illegal activity, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay millions in restitution after pleading guilty to a whopping 27 felonies for obstruction of justice, theft, tax evasion, money laundering , corrupt business influence and official misconduct. Their daughter Kasey pleaded guilty in January to five counts of theft and four counts of tax evasion. She was sentenced to 60 months in prison with 51 of those months set to be as part of probation. Misty was spotted sobbing in the courtroom as her child was walked out in handcuffs. Jamey became a local face around town when he appeared on Season 1 of the A&E show ' 60 Days In,' in which the Clark County prison critically examined its policies and treatment of inmates after volunteers are incarcerated undercover as prisoners for 60 days. The Clark County Jail was back in national headlines four years later, when more than 20 female prisoners alleged in federal court they were attacked, harassed and sexually assaulted after a deputy, David Lowe, sold the key to the women's wing for $1,000 to male inmates. That led to lawsuits that implicated Jamey in the attacks. He lived in Clark County for his entire life, according to Inside Edition. He served as a state trooper for 22 years before becoming a sheriff in 2015. He also ran the county's Republican party in addition to the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association. His life of public service, however, began collapsing around him in 2023 when Indiana State Police investigators began seriously probing his finances. Their daughter Kasey (left) pleaded guilty in January to five counts of theft and four counts of tax evasion. It is unclear when the hearing for Misty (right) will take place Court documents also alleged Jamey, at some point, had an affair, during which he impregnated Clark County Council member Brittney Ferree, who gave birth to his child. It is alleged by prosecutors that Jamey used funds from the Volunteer Firefighters Association to pay his court-ordered child support. Jamey and Misty also allegedly charged nearly $200,000 in tuition and college expenses for two of their daughters to credit cards taken out in the fire agency's name. The couple share three daughters, though just Kasey was the only one charged and convicted.
Sky News
33 minutes ago
- Sky News
More than 160 people still missing after deadly Texas floods
There are 161 people still missing in Texas in the aftermath of last weekend's deadly flash floods, the state's governor has said. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, governor Gregg Abbot said the number of missing had risen markedly. He said the figure included five children and one counsellor from Camp Mystic - where at least 27 people died. At least 109 people are confirmed to have died in the floods, which took place on the 4 July weekend. Please refresh the page for the latest version.
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Cause of death revealed for Reservoir Dogs actor
Michael Madsen, the actor famed for his role in ' Reservoir Dogs ', was found dead at his home on 3 July at the age of 67. His cardiologist has confirmed the official cause of death as heart failure, with heart disease and alcoholism identified as contributing factors. An autopsy will not be necessary as Madsen's treating cardiologist can sign the death certificate, and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has closed the case, ruling out foul play and listing the death as natural causes. Madsen's manager had previously stated he died from cardiac arrest, but this has now been clarified by the cardiologist. Throughout his extensive career, Madsen accumulated over 70 film and TV credits, most notably collaborating with Quentin Tarantino on several cult classics following his breakthrough in ' Reservoir Dogs '.
