Mariah Carey earned a win in court after a New York judge dismissed a $20 million defamation case filed by her brother, Morgan Carey.
asserted
judge → earn → brother
Morgan alleged in a 2021 lawsuit that his sister's 2020 memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey," contained defamatory statements and caused intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
uncertain
memoir → allege → Digital
In his initial complaint, Morgan wrote that Mariah's book contained "numerous passages which are of and concerning plaintiff, and which are, both individually and collectively, false and defamatory."
asserted
which → write → plaintiff
He initially brought the action against the "We Belong Together" singer "more in sorrow and disappointment in his sister’s betrayals and malicious falsehoods than in anger at them" and claimed "the damage was intended" before press began on the book.
asserted
press → bring → book
Morgan cited a passage where the singer recalled an alleged fight between her brother and father as "false and defamatory," and claimed the excerpt alone not only portrayed him as a "physically violent man," but also fulfilled a "clichéd and racially charged portrayal of two Black males engaged in a physical struggle never happened."
"It took twelve cops to pull my brother and father apart," Mariah allegedly wrote.
uncertain
Mariah → cite → brother
"The big bodies of men, all entangled like a swirling hurricane, crashed loudly into the living room.
asserted
all → entangle → room
I was a little girl with very few memories of a big brother who protected me."
asserted
who → protect → me
In his second amended complaint, Morgan alleged that Mariah "weaponized the death of both their parents and sister Alison," which he claimed "speaks to [Defendant's] true character, and is ample evidence of malice towards [Plaintiff.
asserted
he → amend → Plaintiff
"
"Having reviewed both the First and Complaints, the Court finds that Defendant did not forfeit her opportunity to above allegations in the Second Amended Complaint that were included as the Defendant's 'actual malice' necessary for Plaintiff's defamation claims," Judge Leslie A. Stroth ruled.
uncertain
Stroth → review → claims
"In the First Amended Complaint, the above instances were not alleged as being indicative of Defendant's actual malice, rather, they were largely claimed as defamatory statements themselves.
asserted
they → allege → statements
The Court finds Defendant could not have responded to these instances of 'actual malice' in the First Amended Complaint, as they were not framed as such."
uncertain
they → find → Complaint
Morgan claimed that "actual malice" was to be inferred from Mariah's "betrayal and deeply hurtful violation of [Plaintiff's] privacy" by revealing he stayed at the Sagamore Children's Psychiatric Center when he was a child, and further characterizing Morgan as "the Big Bad Wolf" in addition to her "ex-brother."
asserted
he → claim → brother
"Plaintiff further states that Defendant's actual malice is also demonstrated in Defendant's Oprah Winfrey interview, and when Defendant 'weaponized' the death of the parties' parents and sister to boost commercial sales of her Memoir," documents stated.
asserted
documents → state → Memoir
Morgan acknowledged in his filing that Mariah's sources for some of her "allegedly defamatory statements" are unverified, including her deceased mother, an anonymous photographer and hairstylist, in addition to "inner circle common knowledge."
uncertain
sources → acknowledge → knowledge
"The Court finds that Plaintiff has not sufficiently pleaded actual malice on the part of Defendant," the judge ruled.
asserted
judge → find → Defendant
"Plaintiff has alleged that Defendant was more concerned with the 'commercial viability' of her Memoir, than verifying the truth of her statements, and that Defendant's sources for such statements are anonymous and/or unverifiable.
asserted
sources → allege → statements
"Notably, Plaintiff fails to provide any proof that Defendant made such statements with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth."
asserted
Defendant → fail → truth
The judge added, "While Plaintiff alleges that Defendant demonstrates ill will towards her brother, such a statement is insufficient, and Plaintiff has not satisfied the pleading requirements for actual malice in his Second Amended Complaint."
asserted
Plaintiff → add → Complaint
The Grammy-winning singer's familial relationships have been challenging over the years.
asserted
relationships → win → years
Shortly after the release of her memoir, her sister Alison claimed Mariah intentionally inflicted "emotional distress" and filed a $1.25 million suit against the "Fantasy" singer.
asserted
Mariah → claim → singer
The suit referred to Carey as "heartless, vicious [and] vindictive," and stated that Alison had begun abusing alcohol and was "uncharacteristically tearful" after the book's release.
asserted
Alison → refer → release
Carey alleged in her book that Alison gave her Valium and tried to "pimp her out" and threw boiling hot tea on her, per People, a story which Alison cited in the summons and claims "presented no evidence to substantiate."
"[Carey] also callously dismisses [Alison] as her 'ex' sister," docs stated.
uncertain
docs → allege → sister
instead of saying no more about her, [Carey] used her book to humiliate and embarrass plaintiff as stories about the memoir appeared in newspapers around the world, on TV and across the Internet, most of them with headlines repeating defendant's allegations — all of them published without giving [Alison] any opportunity to respond."
asserted
all → say → opportunity
Alison was allegedly diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression, and was in therapy to process "the horrific abuse" she allegedly suffered as a child, which includes incidents she's described as "satanic" in a 2020 lawsuit against their mother, Patricia.
uncertain
she → diagnose → mother
Prior to her own suit against Mariah, Alison sued their mother, claiming she was forced to endure sexual abuse from multiple men by way of Satanic worship meetings when she was a child.
asserted
she → sue → meetings
Alison accused her mom, Patricia, of sexual abuse when she was 10 years old in a summons filed with the New York Supreme Court in February 2020, that was obtained by Fox News Digital at the time.
asserted
that → accuse → time
Alison alleged that her mother allowed and encouraged an undisclosed number of men to engage in sexual acts such as forcible touching, sexual assault in the first degree and made her witness people engaged in sexual acts with adults and children.
asserted
people → allege → adults
In her memoir, Mariah wrote that her relationship with her mother "has been full of contradictions and competing realities.
asserted
relationship → write → contradictions
A complicated love tethers my heart to my mother's," she wrote.
asserted
she → tether → mother
After referring to her relationship with her mother as a "complicated love," Carey dedicated her memoir in part to Patricia.
asserted
Carey → refer → Patricia
"And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could," Carey wrote.
uncertain
Carey → believe → best
"I will love you the best I can, always."
asserted
I → love → you
In August 2024, Carey confirmed both her mother and sister died on the same day.
asserted
mother → confirm → day
"My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend.
asserted
I → break → mother
Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day," she told People at the time.
asserted
she → lose → time
"I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.
asserted
she → feel → mom
I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time."
asserted
I → appreciate → time
The Aporia
