Kesha Denied Injunction In Her Court Case Against Dr. Luke
Harmony Gerber/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images
In a case that has tremendous ramifications for women’s power in the music industry, Kesha was denied an injunction against her producer, Dr. Luke, by the New York Supreme Court today. Kesha had filed for the injunction as a way out of her recording contract with Dr. Luke, whom she alleges has raped and sexually abused her repeatedly over the past decade.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Judge Shirley Kornreich refused the injunction for a variety of reasons, centered on the fact that Kesha hadn’t presented enough evidence that the contract was ruining her music career. “You’re asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry,” she said to Kesha’s lawyer, Mark Geragos. There’s also the problematic fact that Dr. Luke has nominally agreed to allow Kesha to record without him, though Kesha says that makes no difference because Sony Music has decided it won’t promote her career anymore.
Of course, the reason that Kesha wants out of her contract is because of the rape allegations she has levied against Dr. Luke in a civil suit, who has countersued on the claim that Kesha’s team is attempting to extort him. The court has yet to decide on which of these suits to proceed—but as the parties wait, Kesha continues not to make music with the man who she claims caused her untold trauma.
Kesha fans, women’s rights activists, and myriad others were furious with the outcome of the injunction case, and many took to Twitter to express their rage:
can’t believe he said “I made her famous” like that doesn’t mean you have the damn right to rape and abuse a woman ugh #freekesha
— flor (@flopyvalle) February 19, 2016
Stop calling him “Dr”. That’s disrespect to a Noble profession of Doctors. Call his Luke the “Rapist”. #FreeKeshapic.twitter.com/2JH30ZcKN9
— Sheikh Ebad (@eSHEIKH_) February 19, 2016
How do teenagers and people on the internet have a better understanding of justice than people who are meant to serve it? #FreeKesha
— talia (@shagmetria) February 19, 2016
Unfortunately for Kesha, rape is exceedingly hard to prove in a court of law without medical evidence. We’ll have more on this case as it unfolds.