Child sexual abuse lawsuit against Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears withdrawn by plaintiff
A child sexual abuse case filed against Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears over a comedy sketch pertaining to paedophilia has been withdrawn at the request of the plaintiff.
The unnamed female Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be lodged with the courts again, citing: “My family and I have known Tiffany Haddish for many years – and we now know that she would never harm me or my brother or help anyone else do anything that could harm us.”
The statement then concluded: “We wish Tiffany the best and are glad that we can all put this behind us,” as everyone involved looks to distance themselves from the regrettable and “disgusting” comedy sketch.
The sketch in question dates back roughly seven years. In the video titled ‘Through a Paedophile’s Eyes’ and hosted on Funny or Die, Haddish and Spears exploited two young children.
According to The Daily Beast: “John [Doe] spends most of the video clad only in his underwear as Spears’ character leers at him through two holes cut into a newspaper he pretends to read. During the sketch, the camera zooms in suggestively on the seven-year-old’s buttocks and crotch while he plays.”
They then describe the sickening plot as continuing to show the following: “Spears sprays baby oil onto the child’s back and massages it into his shoulders in one scene, and at another point the child plays with a train in a manner that suggests phallic masturbation. In another sequence, Spears smokes a cigarette while observing the child nude in a bathtub and pours water on his feet.”
However, Haddish’s attorney, Andrew Brettler, informed Vanity Fair that this was purely a fictional depiction, and while misjudged, the claims of any actual abuse were “meritless” and “frivolous”.
Haddish herself wrote: “I know people have a bunch of questions. I get it. I’m right there with you. Unfortunately because there is an ongoing legal case, there’s very little that I can say right now.”
Adding: “But, clearly, while this sketch was intended to be comedic, it wasn’t funny at all — and I deeply regret having agreed to act in it. I really look forward to being able to share a lot more about this situation as soon as I can.”
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