Disgraced Nigel Lythgoe loses bid to force accuser to reveal his identity
Nigel Lythgoe lost a bid to force his fourth sex abuse accuser to reveal her name in court.
August 29, 2024, published at 2:30 PM ET
Nigel Lythgoe has lost a bid to force its fourth sex abuse accuser to do so reveal her name in court.
RadarOnline.com exclusively obtained documents showing that a Los Angeles judge ruled that the alleged victim can continue with her civil case under the pseudonym “Jane Doe”.
The disgraced 75-year-old producer, who was first charged for alleged sexual misconduct Paula Abdulhad asked that Doe be forced to reveal her name. He argued that she had “not put forward any special circumstances that would allow her to proceed anonymously.”
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The disgraced media mogul, 75, asked the judge to force his accuser to reveal her name.
But the judge said it was “reasonable to conclude that (she) might suffer harm and retaliation if her name were publicly released.”
The August 27 ruling continued: “The Court finds that the nature of the plaintiff’s allegations is sensitive and personal, and that anonymity is warranted.”
As this outlet reported, Doe sued Lythgoe in March and claimed the former So you think you can dance The judge assaulted her at his LA home in 2018 when they were working together.
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The Jane Doe accused Lythgoe of assaulting her at his home in 2018 when they were working together.
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Her complaint stated: “After a few minutes of professional conversation, Lythgoe suddenly forced Plaintiff against the exterior side wall of the property by sliding his knee between her legs and proceeded to lick Plaintiff’s neck, touch her genitals and grope her all over. “
Doe alleged that she “tried to push Lythgoe away from her, but he had her pinned against a wall so she could not move” and alleged that “Lythgoe continued to grope and attempted to kiss Plaintiff.”
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The accuser filed anonymously, she explained, to “protect her privacy as a victim of sexual assault and abuse.”
Lythgoe fought back with his request to drop the complaint unless she revealed her identity. He feared that some witnesses would not come forward without knowing the identity of the accuser, which could “disadvantage” the defense.
Furthermore, he argued that “the jury and the public could wrongly conclude that Plaintiff is a victim simply because she operates anonymously.”
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Paula Abdul sued the former ‘American Idol’ producer for alleged sexual abuse in December 2023.
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Nigel Lythgoe
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His lawyers wrote in their June filing: “Plaintiffs must use their own names in California courts. It is black letter law.”
The motion continued: “Plaintiff should not be allowed to publicly smear Mr. Lythgoe’s reputation with her allegations of sexual abuse, while hiding in the shadows in anonymity when her allegations are exposed as untrue.”
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However, the judge wrote in her decision to deny Lythgoe’s motion: “(T)he Court is not convinced that potential witnesses will not come forward simply because the plaintiff’s name is not made public, because it The defendant’s responsibility is to contact witnesses to mount a defense. not that witnesses find him after reading a news article about the account.
“The Court is also unprepared to require disclosure of the plaintiff’s name now because of what could happen processbecause the Court can reassess how to proceed if the case goes to trial.”
Lythgoe must respond to Doe’s complaint within 10 days of the ruling.
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Lythgoe stepped down from ‘SYTYCD’ in the wake of Abdul’s lawsuit.
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The ex-American Idol producer also fights Abdul’s December 2023 lawsuit as well as a sequel civil case submitted by two contestants from his short-lived competition show, All American girl.
Lythgoe scored a victory in court last month when he was dismissed from court All American Girl lawsuitas a judge agreed that the decades-old allegations could only apply to a legal entity – not an individual – under the law the women cited in their complaint.
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He told it RadarOnline.com in a statement: “We have always said these claims were without merit and now the Court has agreed. I hope and expect this will be the first of many similar victories as I continue to fight to clear my name.”
Lythgoe abandoned SYTYCD in the wake of Abdul’s claims. He has denied any allegations of sexual misconduct.
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