Mariah Carey Wins Legal Victory as Brother's Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed
A judge has dismissed Morgan Carey's $20 million lawsuit against his sister, Mariah Carey, ruling she did not act with 'actual malice' in her 2020 memoir.
Mariah Carey has secured a legal victory as a judge dismissed a $20 million defamation lawsuit filed by her brother, Morgan Carey. The lawsuit stemmed from allegations made in Mariah Carey's 2020 memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey." A ruling from New York State Supreme Court Judge Leslie A. Stroth stated that Morgan Carey failed to prove that the singer acted with "actual malice," meaning she knowingly made false statements.
Morgan Carey's lawsuit cited passages in the memoir where his sister alleged he had previously served prison time and sold cocaine. One passage quoted in the suit stated that Morgan had "discreetly supplied the beautiful people with their powdered party favors." He denied all such claims made by his sister in the book.
Judge Stroth's ruling indicated that Morgan had not sufficiently pleaded actual malice on Mariah's part, citing New York's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) laws. The judge found that Morgan's assertion that Mariah was more concerned with the "commercial viability" of her memoir than verifying the truth of her statements did not meet the legal standard.
The judge also noted that Morgan was unable to prove that Mariah had made statements based on information acquired from "anonymous and/or unverifiable" sources or that she made these statements with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth. Due to these shortcomings in proving actual malice, the judge fully dismissed the case.
Mariah Carey's lawyer, John Rosenberg, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that the court recognized the memoir addresses significant issues of public interest and dismissed the defamation claims entirely. He added that the singer believes the decision offers broad protection for authors speaking on matters of public concern.
Richard Altman, the lawyer representing Morgan Carey, indicated plans to appeal the dismissal, stating that they respectfully disagree with the decision and believe it is inconsistent with prior rulings in the case.
Morgan Carey initially filed his lawsuit in 2021, referencing eight specific portions of the memoir that he claimed defamed him. In 2022, the judge initially assigned to the case, Barbara Jaffe, dismissed 14 of the 16 claims, allowing only those regarding narcotics and incarceration to proceed. The case was reassigned to Judge Stroth after Morgan amended his legal complaint.
Morgan Carey, who has a background in fitness, has reportedly been estranged from his sister since a dispute in 1994.
This legal development follows a period of personal tragedy for the family, as their mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, both died on August 24, 2024. Mariah Carey subsequently issued a statement acknowledging the loss of both relatives on the same day.