Billboard reports that queen of controversy Courtney Love has settled the lawsuit brought against her by a fashion designer who claims she was defamed in a series of messages posted on Twitter. The settlement with Dawn Simorangkir (aka the “Boudior Queen”) should set Love back about $430,000. The first payment of cash was due on Thursday, followed by a series of payments to Simorangkir stretched out until 2014.
Simorangkir became embroiled in a dispute with the always-vocal Love over a $4000 payment for clothing and then she accused the Hole frontwoman of ruining her business with a series of allegedly defamatory Tweets. A trial was avoided due to the settling of the case out of court; things could have gotten dicey in the courtroom, as defamation via Twitter is not clearly defined. Precedents would have been set.
Love argued that her rantings were merely opinion and that Simorangkir could not prove how they damaged her. The fashion designer, on the other hand, cited Love’s influence as an entertainer and the power of social media in 2011.
The amount of the settlement says it all,” Simorangkir attorney Bryan Freedman told The Hollywood Reporter. “Her reprehensible defamatory comments were completely false and $430,000 is quite a significant way to say I am sorry. One would hope that, given this disaster, restraint of pen, tongue and Tweet would guide Ms. Love’s future conduct.
Bryan Freedman of Freedman + Taitelman, LLP
Ouch. Well said, Freedman.
