A musician who anonymously sued former Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow for sexual assault has asked the court to dismiss her case, The New York Times reports. She cited the sudden resignation of her attorney and concerns that a court would grant a motion by the prosecution to reveal her identity, according to documents viewed by Pitchfork.
The woman, who had accused Portnow of drugging and raping her in a New York hotel room in 2018, filed her federal lawsuit in November. She had named the Recording Academy as a defendant, saying the organization “knew or should have known of Defendant Portnow’s sexually assaultive behavior towards women” and had “aided and abetted Portnow’s conduct to protect their reputations.” Both Portnow and the academy denied the claims against them.
In her request to dismiss the lawsuit voluntarily without prejudice, the woman said her lawyer had advised her that the prosecution would file a motion to reveal her identity, and that it would likely prevail, causing her “potential grave harm.” She went on to express confusion that, at the same time, the lawyer had told her he would resign from representing her. “The circumstances surrounding this case have created a genuine concern for my safety, and emotional well-being,” she wrote in the letter to the judge. “Dismissing the case would alleviate this fear and allow me to move forward without unnecessary risks.”
Pitchfork has emailed counsel for the woman for comment and more information. When reached by Pitchfork, a representative for the Recording Academy offered no comment. A representative for one of Neil Portnow’s attorneys, Edward M. Spiro, also told Pitchfork that the lawyer and his client have no comment.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
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