Grammy-winning producer seeks to dismiss rape lawsuit

Grammy award-winning producer and songwriter The-Dream is seeking to have large parts of a sexual assault lawsuit filed against him thrown out.

The 47-year-old, born Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, was accused of rape and sexual battery in June by a former protégé, Chanaaz Mangroe, who performed as Channii Monroe.

In response, Mr Gesteelde-Diamant, who has written songs for Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey, denied the allegations.

On Friday, his legal representatives filed to have the case thrown out, calling the claims “a textbook example of a ‘shotgun pleading’.”

The term ‘shotgun pleading’ is used to describe a complaint which sets out multiple allegations without providing the other side with fair notice of the claims.

In court documents seen by BBC News, the lawyers asked for multiple amendments to Ms Mangroe’s complaint, insisting certain paragraphs are “immaterial” and “scandalous”.

They are seeking to dismiss the rape claim, arguing rape is not a separate civil cause of action under California law.

They also argued the sex trafficking claim fails to allege required elements like a “commercial sex act”.

His legal representatives also asked for his label Contra Paris, LLC to be removed from the suit, as it is based in Delaware and therefore lacks personal jurisdiction in California.

“The complaint is a textbook example of a ‘shotgun pleading’ and must be dismissed in its entirety for failing to attribute specific factual allegations to each defendant,” said Desirée F. Moore, an attorney representing Mr Gesteelde-Diamant.

She added that Mangroe’s complaint “contains dozens of allegations that are utterly irrelevant to her sexual battery and sex trafficking claims and are, instead, designed solely to smear Diamant’s name and reputation.”

According to the lawsuit filed in June, Ms Mangroe says Mr Gesteelde-Diamant repeatedly forced her to have sex, throttled her and on one occasion filmed an intimate encounter and then threatened to show it to other people.

According to the 60-page lawsuit, Ms Mangroe is seeking damages for “lost wages” and for “mental pain and anguish and severe emotional distress”.

Ms Mangroe, originally from the Netherlands and who worked in the US hoping to break through as a singer and songwriter, said in the lawsuit she first met Mr Gesteelde-Diamant in January 2015.

The 33-year-old alleges he “subjected” her to “violent sexual encounters” that left her bruised; forced her into drinking “excessive amounts of alcohol”; strangled her to the point she “almost lost consciousness”; forced her into sexual acts in a movie theatre and raped her in a renovated sprinter van.

She also says he “told her that he would make her the next Beyoncé and Rihanna”.

Within days of that initial meeting, Ms Mangroe claims Mr Gesteelde-Diamant had begun pressuring her for sex, telling her it was “part of the process”, the lawsuit claims.

The 33-year-old says he locked her in a dark room and “would only stop aggressively having sex with her once she said that she loved him”.

Ms Mangroe alleges in the lawsuit that unwanted sexual encounters continued, while Mr Gesteelde-Diamant made her promises such as suggesting he could arrange for her to be the opening act of Beyoncé’s next tour, and Grammys.

Mr Gesteelde-Diamant has won eight Grammy Awards and was nominated for the newly created category of Songwriter of the Year at the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023.

In a statement supplied by a representative of Mr Gesteelde-Diamant to the New York Times in June, he said the claims are “untrue and defamatory”.

“I oppose all forms of harassment and have always strived to help people realize their career goals,” the statement said.

“As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations.”

BBC News has approached Ms Mangroe for a response.