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| Smokey Robinson |
Smokey Robinson — the singer, songwriter, producer and celebrity who had a vital role in building the Motown record label — is facing a $50 million civil lawsuit filled with racy allegations that, proven or not, threaten to damage his reputation and legacy.
In documents filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, four women, each identified as Jane Doe to protect their privacy, accused Robinson of an array of offenses that their attorney said included "sexual misconduct of the worst sort."
"I will not describe the details of the sexual assaults and rapes because they are too graphic and disturbing for this news conference," attorney John Harris said at the Los Angeles news conference. "But you can read about them in the complaints."
Within hours, the news was all over the internet.
"I am appalled," Robinson told the Daily Mail reported Wednesday, when asked about the lawsuit by phone. The a British tabloid added he "began mumbling incoherently," "did not sound well" and ended the call with: "I can't speak about this right now."
The Detroit Free Press and several news outlets, including USA TODAY, Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Associated Press and Fox News, also sought comment from Robinson or his representatives, but had not yet receive a response.
In explicit detail, the lawsuit asserts that Robinson, now 85, sexually abused and financially took advantage of the women for many years. They worked in his homes in Los Angeles; Ventura County, California, and Las Vegas.
The lawsuit also accuses Robinson’s wife, Frances Robinson, of knowing about the misconduct but failing to prevent it, and three of the plaintiffs said they feared reporting the incidents to authorities because of their immigration status.
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