Judge Tosses Sexual Assault Claims Against Music Exec

Civil sexual assault claims brought against music executive Kevin Liles have been permanently dismissed by a U.S. District Judge. The lawsuit, filed by a former executive assistant from his early 2000s tenure at Def Jam, alleged Liles had made inappropriate comments and committed sexual assault.

These allegations were found to be barred by a prior settlement. In 2005, Def Jam's parent company, Universal Music Group, paid the woman $47,500 to resolve a civil rights complaint. This agreement included broad language releasing all parties from future legal action, which the judge ruled unambiguously covered Liles.

Liles, who led Def Jam from 1999 to 2004 and co-founded 300 Entertainment, was not directly involved in the 2005 settlement. However, the judge's decision emphasized that the release terms were comprehensive and could not be amended to avoid the settlement's consequences.