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A New York state court on Monday dismissed a $20 million defamation lawsuit Morgan Carey filed against his sister, singer Mariah Carey, over her bestselling 2020 memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey.”
Justice Leslie A. Stroth of the New York State Supreme Court, the state’s main trial-level court, ruled that Morgan Carey did not sufficiently plead actual malice, according to the ruling as reported by Billboard and Rolling Stone.
Stroth wrote that the plaintiff provided no proof the statements were made with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth. The judge added that alleging ill will toward a brother does not meet the pleading requirement.
Morgan Carey filed the lawsuit on May 28, 2021. He claimed the memoir damaged his reputation by portraying him as violent and accusing him of trafficking cocaine.
John Rosenberg, the singer’s lawyer, told Rolling Stone she is gratified that the court recognized the memoir addressed significant issues of public interest and dismissed the defamation claims in their entirety.
Richard Altman, Morgan Carey’s lawyer, said his client intends to appeal. Altman told the outlet the legal team “respectfully” disagrees with the decision and considers it inconsistent with prior rulings in the case.
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