An attorney for a woman suing Trey Songz, accusing him in a $25 million lawsuit of sexual assault at a 2016 party in West Hills, argues in new court papers that the R&B singer’s record label and manager should remain as defendants in the case because both were allegedly aware of the “Say Aah” entertainer’s alleged violent history toward young women.
Atlantic Records Group LLC and the singer’s manager and promoter, Kevin Liles, are seeking to be removed as defendants in the case in a motion scheduled for hearing Sept. 19 before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jill Feeney. Both defendants maintain in previously filed court papers that there neither have liability for Jane Doe’s allegations of negligent supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress because they “had nothing whatsoever to do with the alleged incident in question.”
A lawyer for the plaintiff filed court papers on Wednesday disputing those claims.
“This case arises out of sexual abuse, sexual battery and assault against plaintiff by … Trey Songz,” Doe’s attorney states in his court papers.
Liles managed and promoted the musical career of Songz and Atlantic operated Songz’s record label while also supervising and promoting Songz’s image, brand and career as a musical artist, according to Doe’s attorneys’ court papers.
Songz, Liles and Atlantic Records “were engaged in an enterprise of mutual benefit and profit in a relationship in which each often acted as the agent, principals, employees, representatives or in other capacities of the others,” Doe’s attorney further maintains in his court papers.
Liles and Atlantic also knew or should have known, based on their close relationship with the singer, of Songz’s alleged violent history, especially as directed toward young women, Doe’s attorney argues in his court papers.
“They also knew that the result of the manner in which they promoted Songz would cause young women to be attracted to Songz,” Doe’s lawyer maintains in his court papers. “The predictable and foreseeable result of this toxic combination was the horrific sexual assault committed by Songz against plaintiff.”
Doe recently asked that the singer’s company, Trey Songz Productions LLC be dismissed from the case “without prejudice,” which allows the portion of the case against the company to be revived later.
The court papers do not state the reasoning for the plaintiff’s decision. However, defense attorney Michael G. Freedman stated in his court papers that Doe’s lawsuit showed no connection between her alleged injuries and Trey Songz Productions.
According to the suit filed Feb. 9, Doe initially had a friendly relationship with the singer, now 38 and whose real name is Tremaine Aldon Neverson. But matters changed on March 24, 2016, when Songz forced her into having a type of sex against her will in a bedroom of a West Hills home during a party, the complaint states.
After the alleged assault was over, Doe contacted a ride-hailing service to get home, but the driver realized Doe was in emotional distress and took her to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center’s emergency room in Burbank, the amended suit states. The hospital staff reported the alleged assault to Burbank police, but Doe declined to cooperate with officers, the revised complaint states.
The stress of the alleged attack and Doe’s fear for her life prevented her from providing Songz’s name to the police, the suit states.