Los Angeles, California Superior Court Judge Holly Fujie has ruled that Kevin Hart’s defamation claim against YouTube commentator Tasha K can proceed. This stems from an ongoing legal battle stemming from a tell-all interview posted on Tasha K’s website in December, featuring Hart’s former assistant, Miesha Shakes.
During the controversial interview, Shakes claimed that Hart had been involved in criminal activities related to a 2017 sex tape scandal in Las Vegas. However, Hart’s legal team argued that these allegations were false and easily disprovable with a simple public records search, noting that no criminal charges were ever filed against Hart in connection with the incident.
Judge Fujie rejected a part of the anti-SLAPP motion filed by Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Transrina Kebe, and her production company.
Anti-SLAPP laws provide defendants a way to quickly dismiss meritless lawsuits — known as SLAPPs or strategic lawsuits against public participation — filed against them for exercising speech, press, assembly, petition, or association rights.
The court found that the use of the term “charges” could mislead the public into believing Hart faced criminal prosecution. The clarification that Hart had never faced such charges supports his case’s “minimal merit” required to proceed under the statute designed to prevent legal actions from stifiling legitimate free speech.
Additionally, the judge dismissed Hart’s extortion claim against Tasha K, citing that California law does not support this cause of action. However, Hart’s other claims, including defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional interference with contractual relations, will move forward in court.
