Judge Benchslaps Ex-American Apparel CEO Dov Charney -- Just Like He Likes It, Baby
Dov Charney learns what it's like on the other side of a slap.
So this is a fun one, which has the side benefit of really sticking it to someone that really seems like a [alleged] perv.
I’m speaking of none other than the former American Apparel CEO, Dov Charney. Under his direction, the ads for AA read more like amateur porn than high fashion, and then he was sued a bunch of times for alleged sexual harassment and other misconduct before he was eventually fired.
Since, ya know, they’d just fired their CEO, American Apparel Chairman of the Board Colleen Brown wrote a letter to the company’s employees and issued a press release regarding the leadership change. Charney responded by filing a defamation suit.
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That suit did not end well for Charney. Litigation Daily reports on the hearing in the defamation lawsuit, in front of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Terry Green:
“You know, I think there’s a greater likelihood that I’ll be the first American astronaut stranded on Mars before [Charney] wins this lawsuit,” the 68-year-old Los Angeles County Superior Court judge said on Sept. 30, according to a transcript of the proceedings.
That seems… pretty unlikely. But respect to Judge Green for keeping his sci-fi references as current as possible.
Charney was found to be a public figure, and as such, any defamation claim would need to show actual malice. An unlikely proposition, according to the judge:
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I see no way plaintiff can possibly prevail on this.
Judge Green was taken aback by the scope of the conduct Charney was alleged to have participated in as “beyond jaw dropping. I don’t know what to say.” And he dropped some alternative fee arrangement advice:
A judge for 23 years, Green described the alleged conduct for which Charney was fired as “the mother of all sexual harassment cases. This is so far over the top, that you can’t see the top anymore,” he said. “How many sexual harassment cases do I see? Lots. Have I ever seen anything like this? No. I’ve never seen anything like this. Not even remotely like this. So, plaintiff, I hope you’re hourly and not on a contingency.”
And we got proof judges are just like us! They too long for a distraction from the day to day grind:
And he sounded almost wistful that the case was over. “This would be certainly an entertaining trial. It certainly beats your usual breach of contract case.” But he added, “I just don’t see it.”
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Poor Judge Green. Here’s hoping your next case is also filled with ludicrous behavior.
Judge Torches American Apparel Ex-CEO in Hilarious Hearing [Litigation Daily]