A judge in Los Angeles Superior Court has ruled that plaintiff Mesha Collins could not prove that the rapper 'used her identity, name, or likeness in his Instagram posts or endorsements.'
- Dec 21, 2021
AceShowbiz - Drake has come out as the winner in a $4 billion defamation lawsuit filed by a female trespasser against him. According to Billboard, a judge in Los Angeles Superior Court already dismissed the case permanently.
Filing the lawsuit was Mesha Collins, who tried to break into Drake's house twice in 2017. She accused the Canadian native of using her name and likeness in "defamatory matters" by "releasing music, posting on Instagram and endorsing products that had names that invaded her privacy by revealing to the world where she lived."
However, Drake shut down the allegations. He said that the "frivolous" lawsuit was based on "delusional figments of her imagination." The emcee also claimed he didn't even know the trespasser, saying, "In April 2017, somebody broke into my Los Angeles home when I was not there. At the time of that incident, I was not told any details about the trespasser, including her name."
"I do not know Plaintiff. I have never met her and have never communicated with her. I did not even know of Plaintiff until this lawsuit was filed and served," the 35-year-old added. "Indeed, I was unaware of Plaintiff's identity, name, or where she alleges she lives until the filing and service of this lawsuit." His lawyer, meanwhile, believed that Collins was merely trying to make contact with his client by using the lawsuit.
Judge Virginia Keeny agreed with Drake's arguments. "Plaintiff Collins has not demonstrated any of defendant Graham's statements were about plaintiff Collins or that he used her identity, name, or likeness in his Instagram posts or endorsements," the judge wrote. "Even if plaintiff Collins could establish the statements were about her, she has failed to establish that such statements were of a private fact that is offensive and objectionable to the reasonable person."
The dismissal order reportedly was granted under California's anti-SLAPP law. It allows judges to quickly dismiss questionable lawsuits that could chill free speech.
Collins first slipped into Drake's house in April 2017 when she later hung out in his bedroom wearing one of his hoodies. She was then arrested for trespassing. However, the woman tried to enter his property once again in July that year when the "Certified Lover Boy" artist was not at home.
