Smokey Robinson has switched to a third lawyer in three months to defend his sexual assault lawsuit.
Court records obtained by Billboard show that in the past three months, the 86-year-old Motown legend has cycled through three different lawyers in the $50 million (£37.4 million) civil lawsuit that accuses him of sexually assaulting six workers at his Los Angeles-area home.
Robinson has denied the allegations.
The Tracks of My Tears crooner was originally represented by Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro’s lawyer, Christopher Frost. Frost bowed out of the case in June for unspecified reasons.
He was replaced by David Kenner, another well-known lawyer who has previously represented Suge Knight and Fugees rapper Pras Michel.
Kenner lasted just two months on the case. He filed a motion in August to drop Robinson, citing a “breakdown in the attorney-client relationship”.
A third lawyer, Anahita Sedaghatfar, took over with a court appearance on 15 September.
Robinson’s latest lawyer has in the past handled litigation for actor Arianne Zucker, baseball player Royce Clayton, TV star Greg Mathis and R&B group New Edition. Sedaghatfar told Billboard that she’s “honoured to represent” both Robinson and his wife, Frances, who is accused in the lawsuit of enabling her husband’s alleged conduct.
“Changing attorneys during the course of litigation is not unusual and is in fact common,” noted Sedaghatfar. “My clients unequivocally deny the allegations, and I look forward to presenting the facts, addressing the evidence and vigorously advocating on their behalf.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is conducting its own criminal investigation of Robinson due to police reports filed by the women. No charges have been filed so far.
