Grammy Award-winning music government Antonio “L.A.” Reid settled his sexual assault lawsuit with former Arista Information government Drew Dixon on Monday, the identical day the civil trial was scheduled to start.
Reid, the previous CEO of Arista Information, settled with Dixon, a former A&R government, who in 2023 accused him of sexual assault, harassment and retaliation on a number of events throughout the early 2000s.
Per the New York Occasions, Dixon claimed Reid groped, kissed and digitally penetrated her with out consent in two completely different cases. One incident allegedly came about throughout a aircraft journey to an organization retreat in Puerto Rico, and the opposite assault allegedly occurred whereas the 2 have been in his automotive following a piece occasion.
Dixon additionally accused Reid of retaliating in opposition to her by lowering budgets for promotions and recordings, in addition to rejecting track demos and artist auditions, the newspaper reported.
The 2 reached a settlement simply earlier than jury choice and opening statements have been about to start. No particulars concerning the settlement have been disclosed, per the NYT. Dixon filed her lawsuit underneath New York’s Grownup Survivors Act (ASA) regulation.
In a press release to media, Dixon’s lawyer Kenya Davis of Boies Schiller Flexner stated the settlement is “confidential.”
“Drew has been probably the most brave and outspoken supporters of survivors of sexual abuse. Her advocacy, together with her instrumental position in advancing the Grownup Survivors Act, has helped shift the stability of energy within the music trade, making a path to justice for survivors,” Davis wrote. “We wish to thank the various people who generously spent their time and vitality getting ready for the trial that may have begun in the present day, together with Roy Lott, John Legend and Aku Orraca-Tetteh.”
Dixon, who was additionally one in every of three girls who accused music government Russell Simmons of rape, shared in a press release that she is grateful to her household and authorized counsel for his or her assist whereas sharing that she hopes her work as an advocate for the Grownup Survivors Act might help “deliver us nearer to a safer music enterprise for everybody.”
“In a world the place excellent news is commonly exhausting to search out, I hope for survivors that in the present day is a ray of sunshine peeking by way of the clouds,” Dixon stated. “Music has all the time been my biggest supply of consolation and pleasure. At the same time as a child, I had an uncanny knack for predicting the following cool artist or album, the extra eclectic the higher. Whereas I’ve targeted on sexual assault advocacy in recent times, I’ve by no means stopped preventing for my place on this trade. I’ve huge concepts for future initiatives that will likely be guided by creativity and integrity.”
As for Reid, per NYT, the chief’s lawyer Imran H. Ansari, stated “Mr. Reid has amicably resolved this matter with Ms. Dixon with none admission of legal responsibility.”
