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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 17, 2014 5:43:09 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/x-men-director-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teenage-boy-1201158645/“X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer has been accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in 1999 in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Hawaii federal court. The plaintiff, Michael Egan, claims he was 17 when Singer forcibly sodomized him, among other allegations. Egan’s lawyers, led by Jeff Herman, allege that Singer provided him with drugs and alcohol and flew him to Hawaii on more than one occasion in 1999. His suit claims battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy by unreasonable intrusion, and it seeks unspecified damages. Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, called the lawsuit “absurd and defamatory.” “The claims made against Bryan Singer are completely without merit,” the attorney said. “We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated.” Marc Collins-Rector, the former chairman of Digital Entertainment Network, an ambitious Internet startup that sputtered in the dotcom bust of 2000, is also cited in the Singer lawsuit, although he is not named as a defendant. He is accused of initiating the sexual abuse of Egan and arranging for Singer to assault Egan at a house in Encino, Calif. Collins-Rector is a registered sex offender, having pleaded guilty in 2004 to luring minors across state lines for sexual acts. The lawsuit alleges that Collins-Rector and his Digital Entertainment Network investors, including Singer, would lure young men to a house dubbed the M & C Estate in Encino to intoxicate and sexually assault a number of teenage boys and that many in the Hollywood industry were aware of the “notorious parties.” Egan, an aspiring actor and model at the time, claims that Singer provided him with several drugs, including cocaine, a pill identified as “green triangle” which is believed to be a reference to the drug Ecstasy, Xanax, Rohypnol, and Vicodin or Percocet, in addition to alcoholic beverages. Herman is a sexual abuse attorney based in Boca Raton, Fla., who also represented the plaintiffs who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of sexual abuse. He and Egan are scheduled to appear at a press conference on Thursday in Beverly Hills. “Hollywood has a problem with the sexual exploitation of children,” Herman said in a statement. “This is the first of many cases I will be filing to give these victims a voice and to expose the issue.” The suit claims that Egan was 14 or 15 when he moved to Los Angeles with his family to pursue and acting career. A friend from a small private school in the San Fernando Valley, Scott Shackley, introduced him to his older brother, Chad, in 1998. Chad Shackley, according to the suit, lived in the M & C Estate in Encino with Collins-Rector, and Egan and Scott Shackley would visit. Eventually, Egan was placed on the DEN payroll, provided with extravagant gifts, and taken via private jet on various trips, along with the opportunity to audition for acting and modeling jobs, the suit states. But the parties at the M&C Estate were “well known and notorious” among “many men in the Hollywood entertainment industry,” the suit states, as they were “typically sordid and featured sexual contact between adult males and the many teenage boys who were present,” along with the distribution of alcohol and drugs. Wednesday’s suit detailed one of the encounters at the M & C Estate between Collins-Rector, Singer and Egan: Collins-Rector ordered Plaintiff out of the pool, and Defendant Singer hugged Plaintiff and grabbed his bare buttocks. They then went to the jacuzzi where Collins-Rector had Plaintiff sit on his lap and fondled Plaintiff’s genitals. Collins-Rector then passed Plaintiff to Defendant Singer and Plaintiff was made to sit on Defendant Singer’s lap. Defendant Singer provided an alcoholic beverage to Plaintiff and mentioned finding a role for him in an upcoming movie that he was directing. Defendant Singer told Plaintiff how “this group” controls Hollywood, and that he was sexy. Defendant Singer masturbated Plaintiff and then performed oral sex upon him. Defendant Singer solicited Plaintiff to perform oral sex upon him which Plaintiff resisted. Defendant Singer flagrantly disregarded Plaintiff’s unwillingness to submit, and forced Plaintiff’s head underwater to make Plaintiff perform oral sex upon him. When Plaintiff pulled his head out of the water in order to breathe, Defendant Singer demanded that he continue which Plaintiff refused. Defendant Singer then forced Plaintiff to continue performing oral sex upon him outside of the pool, and subsequently forcibly sodomized Plaintiff. When he was 17, Egan claims in the suit, he was flown to Hawaii to stay at the Paul Mitchell estate, and on the first of the trips he was instructed to spend the first two nights in a room with Singer. He claims that Singer forced him to inhale cocaine and later forced him to have oral and anal sex. Egan claims that Singer sexually assaulted him on a second trip to Hawaii as well. Egan claims in the suit that he never “freely, voluntarily and knowingly consented to these sexual interactions, and often resisted them.” The filmmaker, 48, is the director 20th Century Fox’s upcoming “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and most recently helmed “Jack the Giant Slayer” for Warner Bros.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 17, 2014 20:40:30 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/biz/news/bryan-singer-accuser-lapd-knew-about-sexual-abuse-in-1999-1201159072/Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bryan Singer’s accuser Michael Egan said his mother first reported the allegations of sexual abuse to the Los Angeles Police Department when he was 17 years old. “It basically fell on deaf ears and I basically buried it deep within me” after that, he told reporters at the Four Seasons Hotel event. The plaintiff, who claims that the helmer sexually assaulted him multiple times when he was a teenager, appeared alongside his attorney Jeff Herman. His lawsuit describes incidents of alleged sexual assault by Singer in Hawaii when Egan was 17, but also cites other incidents in Los Angeles where Egan’s age is unspecified. Egan said that he came forward now after he quit drinking two years ago and, 11 months ago, entered a program for trauma therapy. “No one at a young age deserves to go through the horrific junk I went through,” Egan said, comparing himself to a “piece of meat.” Asked why he continued to return to the estate for the parties, Egan said that he was fearful, describing threats made against him and his family. “All of the sudden there’s that lifestyle,” Herman said. “That’s his life.” Egan said that “two older kids took me under their wing and they went to my mother” to inform her of what was going on in 1999. Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, has called the allegations “absurd and defamatory” and “completely without merit.” “We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated in this absurd and defamatory lawsuit,” Singer’s attorney said in a statement on Wednesday. “It is obvious that this case was filed in an attempt to get publicity at the time when Bryan’ s new movie is about to open in a few weeks.” Herman, who specializes in sexual assault cases, said that he expects to file additional cases against alleged perpetrators by April 24 in Hawaii. That is the cutoff date for old sex abuse cases to be filed under a two-year window established by the state legislature. The lawsuit against Singer was filed on Wednesday in Hawaii, where Egan claims he was flown multiple times in 1999 and forced to have non-consensual sex with Singer. He also claims that Singer provided him with drugs and alcohol and forced him to ingest cocaine. Egan’s suit claims battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy by unreasonable intrusion, and it seeks unspecified damages. Cmdr. Andrew Smith, a spokesman for the LAPD, said that they were researching their records to see if they have a report from back then or what action was taken. But he said that they may not be able to release much information because in would have involved a juvenile. Egan said that the LAPD also informed the FBI, and recalled meeting with an agent from that bureau. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said that she was limited in commenting on any litigation and that the FBI “does not comment on information provided to agents about alleged crimes unless the claims become a matter of public record.” “However, the suggestion that the FBI ignored evidence involving the sexual victimization of a child is ludicrous,” she added. “The FBI vigorously pursues all allegations involving the sexual abuse of minors and pursues prosecution when evidence of such crimes is brought to its attention.” The FBI did pursue allegations against Marc Collins-Rector, who is described in Egan’s lawsuit as the resident of the Encino estate where wild parties were held in which underage boys were given drugs and alcohol and made to perform sex with older men. Collins-Rector plead guilty in 2004 on charges of luring minors over state lines for sexual acts. Egan was among the plaintiffs who filed a civil suit in 2000 against Collins-Rector and others over alleged sexual abuse, in a case that was settled in 2004, according to court records. Herman could not say why the plaintiffs’ attorney in that case did not pursue a claim against Singer back then. Egan claims in the suit that he never “freely, voluntarily and knowingly consented to these sexual interactions, and often resisted them.” At the press conference, he said that authorities in the late in 1999 or early in 2000 were made aware of his claims against Singer. Asked why he decided to come forward, Egan said, “I have a story I believe should be known and should be out there.” His attorney said that he believes there were eight to 10 men involved in what he described as a “ring” of sexual abuse at the Encino estate. He believes that there were five to six victims. His attorney declined to name the three to four additional defendants to be named in suits but said that “there are other Hollywood types.” Egan is now 31. At the press conference, he described the parties at the estate, saying that there was a “no swimsuit” rule at the pool. He described an incident in which he says Collins-Rector pointed a gun at him and threatened to pull the trigger if he continued to resist sexual contact. Fox, which is distributing Singer’s next movie “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” also released a statement, saying through a spokesperson, “These are serious allegations, and they will be resolved in the appropriate forum. This is a personal matter, which Bryan Singer and his representatives are addressing separately.” The next “X-Men” is slated for release next month.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 17, 2014 20:41:29 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/fox-calls-bryan-singer-allegations-serious-personal-matter-1201159168/In the light of the sexual abuse allegations made against “X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer, Fox addressed the developing controversy in a statement Thursday. “These are serious allegations, and they will be resolved in the appropriate forum. This is a personal matter, which Bryan Singer and his representatives are addressing separately,” reads the statement from Fox spokesman Chris Petrikin. Fox is releasing Singer’s “X-Men” film on May 23. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Hawaii, plaintiff Michael Egan claims he was flown to Hawaii from California multiple times in 1999 and forced to have non-consensual sex with Singer. Egan was 17 at the time of the alleged sexual assault and said he was 15 when the abuse started. He is now 31. Singer’s lawyer, Marty Singer, called the lawsuit “absurd and defamatory” and “completely without merit.” Egan and his attorney, Jeff Herman, held a press conference on Thursday, during which Egan said he had been treated like a “piece of meat.”
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 17, 2014 20:48:18 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/bryan-singers-attorney-planning-countersuit-says-abuse-claims-are-completely-fabricated-1201159287/Bryan Singer’s attorney on Thursday issued a blistering response to a press conference in which a 31-year-old man accused the director of sexually assaulting him when he was a teenager. Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, said in a statement that they plan to bring “a claim for malicious prosecution against Mr. Egan and his attorney after we prevail.” “The claims made today about Bryan Singer are completely fabricated,” Marty Singer said. Michael Egan appeared at a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel along with his attorney, Jeff Herman. “It is obvious that plaintiff’s attorney is not looking to litigate the case on the merits,” Marty Singer said in a statement. “This matter is nothing more than the attorney seeking to get his 15 minutes of fame by sending out a press release with his ‘media consultant’ yesterday following up with a press conference today. Attorneys who try cases don’t hold press conferences.”
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 18, 2014 19:29:46 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/bryan-singer-allegations-part-of-upcoming-sex-abuse-documentary-from-oscar-nominated-filmmaker-1201159632/Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg (in photo below) has spent the last two years working on a scandalous new documentary about sex abuse in Hollywood that includes allegations about Bryan Singer (above), Variety has confirmed. Michael Egan, who filed a lawsuit this week alleging Singer raped him as a teenager, has been cooperating with Berg on her documentary. The Daily Mail first broke the story about Berg’s film. It’s unclear if Egan had been interviewed on camera for the film. Amy Berg, who runs Disarming Films, received an Oscar nomination for her 2006 documentary “Deliver Us From Evil,” about sex abuse allegations in the Catholic Church. She also directed the recent, Peter Jackson-produced West Memphis Three documentary “West of Memphis.” Berg, who has a feature film at the Tribeca Film Festival (“Every Secret Thing,” written by Nicole Holofcener), could not be reached for comment on this report. Egan, now 31, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in Hawaii federal court accusing Singer of sexually assaulting him multiple times in the late 1990s. Egan claims he was 15 years old when Singer forcibly raped him. He also alleged that Singer provided him with drugs and alcohol and flew him to Hawaii on more than one occasion in 1999 in return for promised movie roles. His suit claims battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy by unreasonable intrusion, and it seeks unspecified damages. Singer’s powerhouse attorney, Marty Singer, called the lawsuit “absurd and defamatory.” “The claims made against Bryan Singer are completely without merit,” the attorney said. “We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated in this absurd and defamatory lawsuit. It is obvious that this case was filed in an attempt to get publicity at the time when Bryan’s new movie (‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’) is about to open in a few weeks,” he said. But that hasn’t stopped Singer from canceling two major upcoming appearances in support of his upcoming summer tentpole. The “X-Men” director will skip this weekend’s WonderCon in Anaheim and the upcoming Creativity Conference in Washington. Fox will be sending Simon Kinberg to WonderCon in Singer’s place as the studio prepares for the movie’s May 23 debut. Singer, 48, was also supposed to join Vice President Joe Biden at the Creativity Conference on May 2 leading up to the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. ABC also pulled promos for its new drama “Black Box” that featured Singer’s name, sources confirm. He serves as an exec producer for the series, which premieres next Thursday. The trailer for the show now indirectly references Singer as the executive producer of “House.” Chris Petrikin, spokesman for Fox, which distributed the “X-Men” films, said the allegations are a “personal matter.” “These are serious allegations, and they will be resolved in the appropriate forum,” he said in a statement. “This is a personal matter, which Bryan Singer and his representatives are addressing separately.” This isn’t the first time Singer has been accused of acting inappropriately with underage males. In 1997, a lawsuit was filed by several underage actors who claimed Singer asked them to film a shower scene in the nude while shooting his film “Apt Pupil.” That suit was later dismissed for insufficient evidence. At a news conference this week, Egan alleged that his mother first reported the allegations of sexual abuse to the Los Angeles Police Department and FBI in 2000 when he was 17. “It basically fell on deaf ears, and I basically buried it deep within me” after that, he told reporters on Thursday. “No one at a young age deserves to go through the horrific junk I went through,” Egan said, comparing himself to a “piece of meat.” Cmdr. Andrew Smith, a spokesman for the LAPD, said that they were searching their records to see if they have a report from back then and to discover action was taken. But he said that they may not be able to release much information because it would have involved a juvenile. Egan, who now resides in Nevada, said that the LAPD also informed the FBI, and he recalled meeting with an agent from that bureau. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said that she was limited in commenting on any litigation and that the FBI “does not comment on information provided to agents about alleged crimes unless the claims become a matter of public record.” “However, the suggestion that the FBI ignored evidence involving the sexual victimization of a child is ludicrous,” she added. “The FBI vigorously pursues all allegations involving the sexual abuse of minors and pursues prosecution when evidence of such crimes is brought to its attention.” The FBI did pursue allegations against Marc Collins-Rector, who is described in Egan’s lawsuit as the resident of the Encino estate where wild parties were held in which underage boys were given drugs and alcohol and made to perform sex with older men. Collins-Rector pleaded guilty in 2004 on charges of luring minors over state lines for sexual acts. Egan was among the plaintiffs who filed a civil suit in 2000 against Collins-Rector and others over alleged sexual abuse, in a case in which a default judgment was entered against the defendants, according to court records. Herman could not say why the plaintiffs’ attorney in that case did not pursue a claim against Singer back then. Egan claims in the suit that he never “freely, voluntarily and knowingly consented to these sexual interactions, and often resisted them.” At the press conference, he said that authorities were made aware of his claims against Singer in late 1999 or early 2000. Asked why he decided to come forward, Egan said, “I have a story I believe should be known and should be out there.” His attorney said that he believes there were eight to 10 men involved in what he described as a “ring” of sexual abuse at the Encino estate. He believes that there were five to six victims. His attorney declined to name the three to four additional defendants to be named in suits but said that “there are other Hollywood types.” It’s unknown whether these additional defendants will be featured in Berg’s upcoming documentary.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 21, 2014 16:43:57 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/three-more-sexual-abuse-lawsuits-filed-1201160168/Hollywood executives Garth Ancier, David Neuman and Gary Goddard have been accused of sexually abusing teenage boys in lawsuits filed Monday in Hawaii federal court. Ancier is the former president of BBC Worldwide America and also served as head of programming for Fox, NBC and the WB. Neuman, the former president of Disney TV, previously worked for Digital Entertainment Network that was headed by Marc Collins-Rector, who was cited as being involved in the sexuality activity at the heart of plaintiff Michael Egan’s original lawsuit. Goddard heads a design firm in Los Angeles that has created theme park attractions for Universal Studios. The filings were unveiled at a news conference Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills by attorney Jeff Herman, Egan and his mother. “It’s not about money, it’s about disarming these pedophiles,” the alleged victim’s mother, Bonnie Mound, told reporters through tears. The new lawsuits were filed five days after “X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer was accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in 1999 in a suit filed in the same court. Egan, the plaintiff, claims he was 15 years old when Singer forcibly sodomized him, among other allegations. Bryan Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, has called the lawsuit “absurd and defamatory” and has promised that he will file a counter-suit. Herman is a sexual abuse attorney based in Boca Raton, Fla., who also represented the plaintiffs accusing Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of sexual abuse. Herman had said last week that he expected to file additional cases against alleged perpetrators by April 24 in Hawaii. That is the cutoff date for old sex abuse cases to be filed under a two-year window established by the state legislature. Singer’s attorney claims the filmmaker has documents to prove he was in Toronto, not Hawaii, in late 1999 shooting the first “X-Men” movie, which would disprove Egan’s account of sexual abuse. “We want to see those documents,” Herman said Monday, adding that he has witnesses to prove that Singer was in Hawaii at the time of the alleged incidents. Sources recently confirmed to Variety that Oscar-nominee Amy Berg has spent the last two years working on a new documentary about sex abuse in Hollywood that includes allegations about Bryan Singer. Michael Egan has been cooperating with Berg on her documentary. Marty Singer has asserted that the lawsuit against Bryan Singer is an attempt to get publicity with “X-Men: Days of Future Past” opening in a month. Singer has canceled two major appearances in support of the upcoming tentpole, skipping last weekend’s WonderCon in Anaheim and the upcoming Creativity Conference in Washington.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 24, 2014 19:46:32 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/bryan-singer-calls-sexual-abuse-allegations-outrageous-completely-false-1201163218/Responding to the sexual abuse allegations against him, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer has called the accusations “outrageous, vicious and completely false.” Singer also said that he will not participate in the promotional campaign for the upcoming Fox tentpole, due out May 23, to prevent the “fictitious claims” from diverting attention from the film. The full statement, issued on Thursday, is below: “The allegations against me are outrageous, vicious and completely false. I do not want these fictitious claims to divert ANY attention from ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past.’ This fantastic film is a labor of love and one of the greatest experiences of my career. So, out of respect to all of the extraordinary contributions from the incredibly talented actors and crew involved, I’ve decided not to participate in the upcoming media events for the film. However, I promise when this situation is over, the facts will show this to be the sick twisted shake down it is. I want to thank fans, friends and family for all their amazing and overwhelming support.” Singer issued the statement eight days after the filing of a lawsuit in Hawaii federal court by Michael Egan, who alleged that he had been coerced into sex in California and Hawaii in 1998 and 1999. Egan claims he was 15 years old when Singer forcibly sodomized him; and that when he was 17, Singer forced him to inhale cocaine and later forced him to have oral and anal sex. Egan also sued veteran executives Garth Ancier, Gary Goddard and David Neuman on Monday and made similar allegations — all of which have been emphatically denied by the execs. Goddard’s attorney has noted that Egan was among the plaintiffs who filed a civil suit in 2000 against Michael Collins-Rector and others over alleged sexual abuse, in a case in which a default judgment was entered against the defendants, according to court records. Collins-Rector is described in Egan’s lawsuits as the resident of the Encino estate where wild parties were held in which underage boys were given drugs and alcohol and forced to perform sex with older men. The Egan suits were filed in federal court in Hawaii, which has an April 24 cutoff date for old sex abuse cases to be filed under a two-year window established by the state legislature, which temporarily suspends the statute of limitations in civil sex abuse cases. Egan made four claims against Singer and each of the three execs — intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, battery and invasion of privacy by unreasonable intrusion. Each of the suits recounts in explicit detail the sexual acts that took allegedly place between Egan and each of the men in Hawaii in 1999. “Somebody has to stand up to these people,” said the 31-year-old Egan at a news conference Monday. After Egan filed his suit against Singer on April 16, Singer bowed out of a scheduled appearance for Fox’s presentation of “Days of Future Past” set to be held at WonderCon a few days later. Writer-producer Simon Kinberg appeared at the event on behalf of the film. Singer’s attorney Martin Singer (no relation) said last week that the claims against his client were “completely fabricated“ and announced that he would bring a claim of malicious prosecution against Egan and his attorney Jeff Herman “after we prevail.”
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on May 4, 2014 16:48:34 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/bryan-singer-gary-goddard-hit-with-new-sex-abuse-lawsuit-1201171474/“X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer and Gary Goddard are the targets of another lawsuit, filed by an anonymous British teenager who alleges they sexually assaulted him. The suit is filed by Jeff Herman, the same lawyer who has filed four suits in the past two weeks. According to the Daily Beast, Herman intends to announce the suit at 2 p.m. Monday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. According to the suit, Goddard used social media to contact the teen when he was 14, telling him he was good looking and that Goddard could help him in Hollywood. The suit contends that nude webcam sessions began and, when the teenage was 15 or 16, Goddard insisted that they lay on a bed and kiss naked. When the teenager was 17, the suit alleges that at a “Superman” after-party, Singer had sex with him, despite his refusal. Reportedly, when the teenager refused, Goddard brought a “large, musclebound man” who smacked him around. According to the suit, Singer called him the next morning to apologize for “last night.” It reads that the plaintiff has only recently become cognizant of the “psychological and emotional injuries, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life” as a result of the alleged sexual abuse. Bryan Singer’s lawyer Marty Singer (no relation) told the Daily Beast that the allegations are “totally untrue.” “After the substance of Mr. Herman’s previous defamatory and fabricated filing in Hawaii was disproved based on unassailable evidence, Mr. Herman’s desperation has led him to fabricate these new anonymous accusations against Mr. Singer, which we will also prove to be completely false,” Marty Singer said. “It is time for the media and public to focus their attention on Mr. Herman’s nefarious motives and tactics, which seem to be driven solely by his need to shake down an innocent man like Bryan Singer. We intend to seek sanctions against Mr. Herman for his reckless, unethical behavior,” he added. Goddard’s lawyers Alan Grodin and Paul Gaspari also responded with a statement. “It is a sad indictment on society that when once spurious claims making false, serious and highly damaging allegations have been made – especially where compensation is sought – that other similar claims may follow,” the statement reads. “The allegations made against Mr Goddard are vehemently denied and will be vigorously defended at any trial of these matters and Mr Goddard is entirely confident that he will be fully vindicated.” Previously, Michael Egan had filed a similar suit against Singer, with Herman, representing him. Egan accused Singer of coercing him into sex in California and Hawaii in 1998 and 1999, with the abuse starting when Egan was 15. Singer responded to the charges, denying them and calling them a “sick twisted shake down.” Singer also backed out of all press for “X-Men: Days of Future Past” to prevent the “fictitious claims” against him from diverting attention from the film. Egan also filed suits against TV execs Garth Ancier and David Neuman, accusing them of sexual assault. Ancier called the claims “vile” and denied them with a series of tweets. “Thanks and gratitude to my friends, family and colleagues for your support this week. I wanted you all to hear from me personally and know that I intend to fight with every resource available this vile, unwarranted assault on my reputation. The intimidation tactics used in this transparent get-rich-quick scheme employ as their weapons of choice press conferences in tandem with frivolous lawsuits which shamelessly exploit homophobic fears and stereotypes,” he wrote. Neuman also denied the claims with a statement of his own: “I just want everyone to know right now that the disgusting allegations made against me are COMPLETELY FALSE. Also very shocking in that they don’t just stretch the truth, they are whole-cloth lies with zero basis in reality or truth. Sickening, and very evil, for anyone to lie like that, let alone in a legal document Stay tuned; I will set the record straight”
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on May 22, 2014 7:46:16 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/film/news/bryan-singer-files-motion-to-dismiss-sexual-abuse-suit-1201188949/Attorneys for “X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer have filed a motion to dismiss Michael Egan’s sexual abuse lawsuit. The motion was filed Wednesday in federal court in Hawaii, where Egan alleges that Singer committed the abuse between August, 1999 and October, 1999. “X-Men” Days of Future Past” is opening worldwide this weekend. Singer said in the motion that he was not Hawaii during that period, asserting that he had been in Canada filming “X-Men,” on trips to California and New England. He also alleged in the filing that the timing Egan’s suit — filed April 15 — had been aimed “to maximize public attention” prior to the release of “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Singer’s motion said the case should be dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction and cited Egan’s deposition in a separate 2000 sex abuse lawsuit filed against three executives of the Digital Entertainment Network in which Egan said he had not journeyed “outside the continental U.S.” with those defendants. “The timing of this action and inclusion of its sordid (and provably false) allegations are nothing more than tools being used to embarrass, harass, and pressure Singer and precipitate a shakedown of a perceived ‘deep pocket,’” the motion said. Egan filed four sexual abuse suits in April against Singer, Gary Goddard, Garth Ancier and David Neuman, alleging that they were involved in a ring that coerced underage teenagers into sexual activity. Egan is the plaintiff in four of the suits. Neuman filed a similar motion for dismissal last week in Hawaii. Bryan Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, has called the lawsuit “absurd and defamatory” and has promised he will file a countersuit. Egan’s attorney Jeff Herman has responded by saying that he will not be intimidated. Bryan Singer canceled two major appearances in support of “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” then announced that he would not participate in the publicity campaign because of the distraction it would create. Each of Egan’s suits also names former DEN executive Marc Collins-Rector, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to luring minors across state lines for sexual acts. Herman has not responded to the filing of the dismissal motions.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jul 4, 2014 6:05:43 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/biz/news/bryan-singer-seeks-dismissal-of-teen-sex-abuse-suit-1201257884/Attorneys for Bryan Singer have filed a motion to dismiss a teenage sexual abuse case in Los Angeles involving a British actor only identified as “John Doe 117.” Singer’s lawyers and the director claim there is no legal basis for the suit and demand a $300,000 bond to cover litigation costs, which are expected to be “exorbitant,” according to the motion filed in a Los Angeles federal court Thursday. Jeffrey Herman, the same attorney who represented Michael Egan, who accused Singer and three other Hollywood figures of sexual abuse when he was a teen, filed the Doe suit in May. Producer Gary Goddard, who also is accused by Doe, filed a similar motion in June to dismiss the suit. A hearing on the motions is set for August 18.
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