Smokey Robinson faces new scrutiny after 2015 sexual assault investigation closed
Authorities investigated a previous sexual assault allegation against Robinson in 2015, but no charges were filed due to insufficient evidence, prosecutors said Friday.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office confirmed the decade-old investigation and its decision to decline charges in a statement Friday. The office said no details would be provided because of the current investigation of Robinson.
Robinson's attorney, Christopher Frost, said in a statement they are "pleased" the district attorney "confirmed there was no basis to file charges a decade ago."
"One unfortunate aspect of celebrity is that it is not uncommon to be the target of spurious and unsubstantiated allegations," Frost said. "Mr. Robinson looks forward to the conclusion of the current investigation and has no doubt that a similar determination will be reached here."Robinson, 85, was accused of sexual misconduct and false imprisonment May 6 in a $50 million lawsuit filed by four unnamed former employees, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
The lawsuit said Robinson harassed and assaulted his former housekeepers who worked at his Chatsworth home between 2006 and 2024.
Frances, Robinson's wife of 25 years, was also accused of perpetuating a "hostile work environment."
Robinson's attorney previously called the housekeepers' allegations "vile" and "false."
Earlier this week, Robinson and his wife filed a $500 million cross-complaint against the former staff members. In court documents filed Wednesday in LA Superior Court, the couple accuse the four Jane Does and their legal representatives of slander, financial elder abuse, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, civil conspiracy and other claims.
The lawsuit alleges that the accusations against Robinson were "fabricated in support of their extortionate scheme." The documents further stated that "Mr. and Ms. Robinson did not view, or treat, people in their employ as just employees. They treated them as extended family."
According to the cross-complaint, the Robinsons had vacationed with the accusers, exchanged gifts and celebrated holidays and birthdays together. The lawsuit stated that the plaintiffs "asked for and accepted help from the Robinsons, including several thousands of dollars, monetary support for members of at least one Plaintiff's family, clothes, dental surgery, and even a car."
The Jane Does' lawyers, John Harris and Herbert Hayden, who were named as defendants in the Robinsons' cross-complaint along with their firm Harris & Hayden, responded to the lawsuit in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"The cross-complaint filed by Mr. Christopher Frost on behalf of William 'Smokey' Robinson and Frances Robinson is nothing more than an attempt to silence and intimidate the survivors of Mr. Robinson's sexual battery and assault," they said.
"It is a baseless and vindictive legal maneuver designed to re-victimize, shift blame and discourage others from coming forward. This type of retaliatory litigation is precisely what California's anti-SLAPP laws were enacted to prevent."
Robinson is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was a key figure in the Motown Records machine of the 1960s as both an artist and a writer and was one of the top hitmakers of the era with songs like "Tears of a Clown" and "The Tracks of My Tears."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New turnpike director outlines goals for Maine's 'economic backbone'
Jul. 7—When Andre Briere became executive director of the Maine Turnpike Authority in April, he knew he was hired to fix it. After three months on the job, he's got a long to-do list and a two-year action plan that kicks off in August. It will focus on improving the 109-mile toll highway as "the main thing," he says, and avoid distractions from the authority's core mission, like the controversial Gorham Connector proposal that put the agency "through the wringer" last year. The list includes reviving transparency and trust in the authority, increasing digital technology, security and automation at toll plazas and improving service plazas with updated bathrooms, children's play areas and new dining options, which could include Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack and local chefs that would highlight Maine's farm-to-table restaurant scene. Getting rid of the turnpike authority — something opponents have espoused lately and the goal of several failed bills in the last legislative session — isn't on Briere's list for all the reasons he says the agency benefits the state and its residents. That includes where most of the $170 million in tolls, or 89% of the agency's revenue for a $192 million budget, came from last year. "Almost two-thirds of our toll revenue comes from out-of-staters," Briere said. "There's no cheaper way for Mainers to run the economic backbone of the state. It would be financially ruinous for the state of Maine if you changed that." Briere, 57, started at the authority one month after the board of directors dumped the Gorham Connector proposal, leaving it to the Maine Department of Transportation to solve commuter congestion west of Portland. The four-lane toll road would have run from the recently rebuilt turnpike Exit 45 in South Portland, through Westbrook and Scarborough, to the Gorham Bypass at Route 114 in Gorham. A survey conducted by the authority showed the tide of public opinion had ebbed against the connector and the agency itself after spending more than 20 years and $18 million planning and developing the $331 million project. Briere describes the connector proposal as a well-intentioned effort that the authority took on because the Department of Transportation couldn't afford it. While the authority maintains just 577 lane miles of Interstate 95 from Kittery to Augusta, the department looks after 47,248 lane miles of roads across the state. "The DOT struggles to find funding to do projects," he said. "They turned to the turnpike authority to do the connector project and our existence was threatened in the Legislature as a result." It's a misfire Briere doesn't intend to repeat. He's committed to bolstering confidence and trust in the authority and emphasizing transparency and openness with the public, he said. He also wants to make sure the authority's 400 employees are empowered to do their best work after a report last year found that a climate of intimidation and favoritism had been fostered by former chief financial officer Doug Davidson, who left the agency in 2023. "You have to really listen to people, even opponents, and take in their input," he said. "I'm here to serve the people of Maine and make sure the turnpike is the most efficient, modern and innovative highway of its kind in the country." SEPARATE BUT WORKING TOGETHER Briere replaced Peter Mills, the longtime executive director who led the connector project before retiring in September. He took the reins as opponents of the 5-mile toll spur pitched legislation aimed taking control of the authority's spending and project planning powers and folding the agency into the Department of Transportation — something that's been tried unsuccessfully more than 25 times in the past. That's a bad idea, according to Briere, whose last job was deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, which operates a turnpike system stretching over 90 miles. Because New Hampshire's three turnpikes are funded by legislators through the state budget, Briere said the process of raising tolls and allocating revenue for highway projects is politicized, and elected officials do what they can to avoid upsetting taxpayers. Last spring, Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte dismissed senators' calls to increase tolls for the first time in 15 years. As a result, "there's no money for capital spending in New Hampshire's turnpike budget for the coming year," Briere said. Without regular reinvestment in turnpike infrastructure — bridges, toll plazas, air conditioners — the viability of the system diminishes, Briere said, and if tolls don't cover turnpike needs, the system becomes increasingly dependent on taxes. That kind of uncertainty can lower a state's bond rating and increase the cost of borrowing, he said. The Maine Turnpike Authority is somewhat insulated from that process because it's a separate state agency created by the Legislature in 1941 to finance and build the turnpike through toll collection. When the initial bonds were paid off in 1982, the Legislature decided the authority should continue to operate and maintain the turnpike. While no federal or state tax dollars have ever been used on the turnpike, the authority has paid the Maine Department of Transportation $5.4 million to $9.5 million annually since 2011 for work on cooperative projects. They include the $42 million Saco interchange set to open this year, the Sarah Mildred Long and Piscataqua River bridge projects, and planned investments in public transit initiatives in Greater Portland. Briere said he's an advocate for public transit, but he believes it can only be successful if roads aren't mired in commuter gridlock. And he believes it's impossible to stop people from moving outside metropolitan areas, especially as developers continue to build housing and real estate values continue to rise. The authority's contribution the Department of Transportation represented at least 5% of turnpike toll revenue each year, Briere said, and he'll be looking for ways to increase collaboration on projects in the future. "We're better off being separate but working together," he said. BALANCING EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY A Seattle native with New England roots, Briere is a 29-year Air Force veteran who retired as a colonel in 2019 with a breadth of international experience in transportation, logistics, emergency management and large-scale project leadership. He is married with two adult children. He admits his military experience likely will help fulfill his action plan for the authority, including digital upgrades in the wake of an E-ZPass shutdown for 12 hours in March that avoided a security breach. The plan calls for providing much smaller E-ZPass sticker tags instead of the current transponders within a year; offering a Maine Turnpike app so E-ZPass users can manage accounts more easily online within two years; and making it possible for drivers to pay tolls with credit cards. "We'll also operate with the general philosophy of keeping tolls low or flat for Maine E-ZPass users," Briere said, noting that those drivers received nearly $11 million in toll discounts in 2024. With the move toward greater automation, the authority may see a further reduction in toll plaza staffing, which has fallen from nearly 400 to about 175 in the last 20 years. However, given the problems that other turnpike systems have experienced when electronic toll systems go offline, Briere said he doesn't see a time when the Maine Turnpike is fully automated. "There's always a balance between effectiveness and efficiency," he said. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why Did Cierra Ortega Leave Love Island USA? What Happened?
Wondering why Cierra Ortega suddenly disappeared from or what caused her unexpected exit? The popular Peacock reality series has kept fans engaged with Season 7's intense couplings and villa drama, but Episode 30 dropped a surprising update mid-broadcast. With little explanation offered onscreen, many viewers are now asking: Why did Cierra Ortega leave Love Island USA? Here's what we know about Cierra's departure and the controversy surrounding her exit from the show. Cierra Ortega exited Love Island USA Season 7 following backlash from viewers. The controversy stemmed from a resurfaced social media post where she used a racial slur. Episode 30, which aired on July 6, 2025, on Peacock, announced her departure. Around 15 minutes into the episode, narrator Iain Stirling stated, 'Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation, leaving Nic officially single' (via Deadline). The departure occurred after viewers uncovered an older post by Ortega referencing her eyes using a derogatory term toward the Asian community. The post, which showcased cosmetic work, led to widespread criticism across social media platforms, with many demanding her removal from the show. The show edited Ortega out of episodes leading up to the announcement without directly addressing the controversy. Cierra joined as an original cast member and was in a committed couple with Nic Vansteenberghe when she left. In a conversation with contestant Ace Greene, Nic expressed his confusion, stating, 'Right before Cierra had left, my mind was clear. I knew what the future would look like, and now I'm lost.' When asked if he would continue exploring connections in the villa, Nic replied, 'I don't know.' This marks the second removal of a contestant from the current season due to resurfaced content involving racial slurs. Producers removed Yulissa Escobar in Episode 2 after old podcast clips surfaced showing her repeatedly using the n-word. After her departure, Escobar issued an apology on Instagram acknowledging the harm caused by her words, stating, 'Intention doesn't excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real.' Both incidents prompted the show to quietly address the departures on-air without direct reference to the controversies. The post Why Did Cierra Ortega Leave Love Island USA? What Happened? appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
CNN
16 minutes ago
- CNN
China sidesteps question on TikTok after Trump says close to deal
China's government on Monday sidestepped a question on US President Donald Trump's recent claim that he 'pretty much' has a deal with Beijing to bring TikTok into American ownership and that talks with China over the popular short-video app could begin early this week. TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance is under pressure to spin off the short-video app's US operations by September 17 or face a ban in the United States. Last year, then President Joe Biden signed a sale-or-ban law, requiring ByteDance to divest the app to an American owner over national security concerns. Despite an original January deadline, Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement of the law. 'China has reiterated its principle and position on issues related to TikTok on multiple occasions,' China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday in response to a request for an update on the latest TikTok talks, without providing further details. When previously asked about the TikTok deal, the Foreign Ministry has urged the US to provide an 'open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment' for Chinese businesses, and said that acquisition of businesses should be 'independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles.' The Chinese government has given little indication that it would approve a forced sale. In early 2023, a Commerce Ministry spokeswoman said in the government's first direct response to the matter that China would oppose any forced sale of TikTok, citing how a sale or divestiture of the app would involve 'exporting technology' and had to be approved by the Chinese government. TikTok's 'algorithm' is widely seen as the app's secret sauce behind its explosive popularity. In the US, TikTok boasts over 170 million monthly active users, according to the company early last year. Over 60% of American teens and about a third of American adults use the social media platform, according to a Pew Research Center study, for news, entertainment, or even to earn a living. On Friday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the US 'pretty much' has a deal on the sale of the app, though he said he's 'not confident' China would approve the deal. 'I think we're going to start Monday or Tuesday…talking to China perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we pretty much have a deal on TikTok,' he said, referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. He added the deal would 'probably' have to be approved by China. CNN has reached out to ByteDance and TikTok for comment. In late June, Trump said that there was a buyer for TikTok, teasing an announcement in two weeks. 'It's a group of very wealthy people,' he said on a Fox News program then, without providing more details. A deal that would transfer control of the app's US operations to American ownership had been on the horizon. But Trump's announcements of 'reciprocal' tariffs that brought levies on Chinese imports to the US to 54% on April 2 prompted China to pull out of the deal, CNN reported earlier. Based on the law, ByteDance can own no more than 20% of the platform in the final deal, and the app's US operations cannot coordinate with ByteDance on the app's algorithm or data-sharing practices. Alex Capri, a lecturer at the Business School of the National University of Singapore, told CNN that he doubts Beijing would approve the sale. 'Even if Beijing would choose to overlook the recent tariff hikes and ratcheting up of US export controls on Chip technologies, they still wouldn't grant export licenses for the algorithms,' he said. On Sunday, American tech media The Information reported that TikTok is building a new version of its app for US users to be launched ahead of the September deadline. Users will need to download the new app to continue using its platform while the existing app will shut down by March next year, it said. CNN's Fred He, Aleena Fayaz contributed reporting.
