A judge Monday consolidated into one case dueling litigation stemming from the stormy relationship between a singer-songwriter-actress and the founder of Jingle Punks and Audio Up Media.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy’s action means there will be one trial to settle all issues between Mary Koons, professionally known as Scarlett Burke, and the media executive, Jared Gutstadt.
In her lawsuit filed Dec. 31, singer Koons alleges that Gutstadt, her former boyfriend, trapped her “in a cycle of manipulation, abuse and exploitation” for years. Koons contends the alleged abuses started two months after she began having an extramarital affair with Gutstadt after he promised to divorce his wife.
In his complaint filed Feb. 25 in Santa Monica Superior Court, the composer and entrepreneur alleges Koons falsely alleges he raped and abused her during their nearly seven years together and that she resorted to “threats, extortion and stalking” after he ended their relationship.
Gutstadt has dropped his civil theft cause of action against Koons, but she is asking the judge to also dismiss Gutstadt’s invasion of privacy allegation.
Koons additionally has filed an anti-SLAPP motion seeking dismissal of Gutstadt’s remaining causes of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress and tortious interference. The anti-SLAPP law — Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation — is intended to prevent people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate those who are exercising their free-speech rights.
Hearings on those motions are scheduled Aug. 8.