Kevin Hart Get Blended Outcomes In Defamation Case In opposition to Tasha Ok

A California decide partially denied Tasha Ok’s movement to dismiss Kevin Hart’s lawsuit in opposition to her on Wednesday (April 24). Choose Holly Fujie allowed Hart to proceed with claims of defamation, invasion of privateness and intentional interference with contractual relations. The decide dismissed Hart’s extortion declare.

Hart sued the controversial vlogger, whose actual title is Latasha Kebe, and his former assistant Miesha Shakes in December 2023. Shakes claimed Hart paid a person $4 million to take DUI costs for him and confronted “costs” for a 2017 intercourse tape scandal — together with many extra unflattering allegations — in an interview with Tasha Ok.

In accordance with Hart, Shakes violated her non-disclosure settlement. Hart accused Tasha Ok and Shakes of defamation and extortion following the interview’s launch.

Tasha Ok tried to get Hart’s claims dismissed based mostly on California’s anti-SLAPP legislation, which is designed to guard free speech. The legislation goals to assist defendants dismiss meritless lawsuits. However Choose Fujie dominated a few of Hart’s claims had benefit. The decide cited Shakes and Tasha’s feedback relating to Hart’s intercourse tape as one potential instance of defamation.

“Shakes and Kebe’s use of the phrase ‘costs,’ in context and based mostly on the widespread utilization of the phrase, may lead an inexpensive observer to conclude that Hart confronted felony prosecution,” Fujie mentioned, per Courthouse Information Service. “Defendants don’t dispute that Hart by no means confronted felony costs in reference to the Las Vegas incident.”

Hart’s ex-assistant didn’t take part in Tasha Ok’s anti-SLAPP movement. Tasha Ok’s efforts did assist Shakes, who not confronted extortion claims because of the decide’s ruling.

Earlier this yr, a decide denied Hart’s request for a brief restraining order within the defamation case. Hart needed Shakes’ tell-all interview with Tasha Ok to be faraway from the vlogger’s web site. Choose Mitchell Beckloff mentioned the request went “overboard.”