Court Dismisses Anti-Trans Assault Lawsuit Against Rosario Dawson
That these false claims came from someone we’ve known as chosen family for decades and who we were trying so hard to help out, as we have many times in the past, was very heartbreaking. Nevertheless, we have great empathy for him and have only ever wished him well.
- Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) May 27, 2021
In October 2019, Dedrek Finley, a trans man who had known Dawson and her family for many years and worked for them doing household repairs, filed a lawsuit alleging mistreatment and discrimination, including physical assault and anti-trans insults such as deliberate misgendering.
Court filings show that the case gradually began to wither. Last fall, the court granted Finley’s voluntary request to withdraw all but two of his claims, and the lawyer representing him withdrew from the case. Finley sought to continue pursuing two claims that related to an alleged physical altercation. The court asked him to submit further evidence in order to proceed on those.
May 21, a judge threw out those final remaining claims after Finley did not respond to repeated court requests for documentation, answers to questions, and an independent medical examination aimed at reinforcing his claims of mental and physical harm.
In a new statement from Dawson’s rep, the actress said the case fell apart because it wasn’t true.
source