Luke, alleging he drugged and raped her and emotionally and verbally abused her for a decade. (Luke has aggressively denied the accusations – "I didn't rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her," he tweeted in February – and is countersuing for breach of contract and defamation.)
"She's ready to go to war with these people," the source says of the 29-year-old singer's talks to take on Petrocelli.
A partner at O'Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles, Petrocelli is maybe best known for his litigation in the wrongful death civil lawsuit against O.J. Simpson, representing Fred Goldman, the father of murder victim Ron Goldman. (Petrocelli successfully argued the case, and a jury awarded Goldman's family $8.5 million in damages.)
In February, Kesha appeared in a New York City courtroom, where a Supreme Court judge denied her request for a preliminary injunction that would allow her to record music outside of Dr. Luke's purview.
The judge shot down the request, citing affidavits from Dr. Luke and his camp saying she didn't have to come into direct contact with the megaproducer.
However, Kesha is still exclusively signed to and owes his label, Kemosabe Records, several albums. So, "This [lawsuit] is about being free from my abuser," she wrote on Facebook last month.
Two weeks ago, Kesha appealed the judge's ruling denying her preliminary injunction.
Then Sunday, Kesha took to Instagram, claiming she turned down an offer to retract her rape allegation and publicly apologize in exchange for her "freedom.
"So. I got offered my freedom IF i were to lie. I would have to APOLOGIZE publicly and say that I never got raped. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS behind closed doors," she continued. "I will not take back the TRUTH. I would rather let the truth ruin my career than lie for a monster ever again," she wrote.
Upon the post on social media, a rep for Luke, 42, told PEOPLE: "Kesha's Instagram posting is false.
The Court repeatedly stated Kesha is already free to record without Dr. Luke, and that she had not presented any facts supporting her claims. That's because all the evidence – including Kesha's own videotaped sworn testimony – show her allegations are false.
"The only thing Kesha is not free to do is to continue to lie about Dr. Luke through publicity stunts and outrageous smears, ignoring the fact that by her own free will she went to work and entered into new contracts with Dr. Luke years after this 'incident' supposedly happened," the rep continued. "Her goal all along has been solely personal enrichment by seeking to break contracts that brought her success and millions so she can enter into more lucrative ones."
Since the lawsuit began to make headlines, a bevy of popstars – from Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga to Demi Lovato and Adele – have spoken out in support of Kesha.
people
0 Comments