Mariah Carey Wins Dismissal of Brother’s Memoir Defamation Lawsuit
Billboard • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Mariah Carey won a defamation lawsuit filed by her brother Morgan Carey over passages in her 2020 memoir alleging he sold cocaine and served prison time, with a judge ruling Morgan failed to prove "actual malice."
- Judge Leslie A. Stroth dismissed the case entirely, stating Morgan did not provide evidence that Mariah knowingly lied or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, a legal requirement under New York law for defamation suits against public figures.
- Mariah's attorney emphasized the ruling protects authors speaking on matters of public interest, while Morgan's lawyer announced plans to appeal the dismissal, disagreeing with the decision.
- The lawsuit began in 2021 with multiple allegations, but many claims were dismissed earlier, leaving only two key disputed passages to proceed until the recent complete dismissal.
- The case shifted judges during litigation, with the new judge focusing on the actual malice standard, ultimately concluding Morgan's failure to meet it warranted dismissal of the entire lawsuit.
