Credit: Press

$4 million Phoebe Bridgers lawsuit dismissed by judge

Fri 11 November 2022 9:45, UK

Back in 2021, producer Chris Nelson sued Phoebe Bridgers for defamation to the tune of $3.8 million. Nelson, the owner of a Los Angeles recording studio called Sound Space, was suing Bridgers in response to an October 2020 Instagram post in which Bridgers accused Nelson of “grooming, stealing, [and] violence.”

Bridgers originally posted an Instagram story that corroborated claims made by Emily Bannon, Nelson’s former partner. Nelson claimed that Bridgers’ had a “vendetta” against him and that the Instagram story was an attempt by the singer to torpedo Nelson’s career.

None of that matters now, though, as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin has dismissed Nelson’s lawsuit, ruling that Bridgers’ allegations are protected by the First Amendment.

“We feel vindicated that the court recognised this lawsuit as frivolous and without merit,” Bridgers’ legal team told Billboard. “It was not grounded in law, or facts, but was filed with the sole intention of causing harm to our client’s reputation and career. This victory is important not just for our client but for all those she was seeking to protect by using her platform.”

“I witnessed and can personally verify much of the abuse (grooming, stealing, violence) perpetuated by Chris Nelson,” Bridgers wrote in her initial court statement. “I believe that the statements I made in my Instagram story are true. My statements were made based on my personal knowledge, including statements I personally heard Mr. Nelson make, as well as my own observations.”

Bridgers had previously filed a motion for dismissing the lawsuit, citing California’s anti-SLAPP laws.