Artist News Legal

The Gaslamp Killer drops libel action against woman who accused him of rape

By | Published on Wednesday 31 July 2019

Gaslamp Killer

The Gaslamp Killer, real name William Bensussen, has dropped his defamation lawsuit against the woman who accused him of rape. He has also issued a joint statement with that women, Chelsea Tadros, in which he maintains his innocence.

Tadros made a number of allegations against Bensussen via Twitter in 2017. She alleged that the musician had drugged and raped both her and a friend after they met at a party in 2013. He denied the claims, insisting that he and the two women had had sex consensually.

After various business partners cut their ties with Bensussen in the wake of the allegations, he sued Tadros, her friend and her boyfriend for defamation and emotional distress. That lawsuit was then streamlined by a judge last year, so that only the libel claims against Tadros remained.

In their joint statement, Tadros still claims that she was drugged by a third party on that night in 2013 and was therefore unable to consent to sex. However, Bensussen says that he did not drug either of the women, did not realise they had been drugged, and was therefore not aware that they were not in a position to consent.

The joint statement reads: “After engaging in heartfelt discussions with each other about the events of July 5, 2013, William Bensussen and Chelsea Tadros have decided that it is their mutual desire to move on with their lives and put this lawsuit behind them. For this reason, Mr Bensussen has agreed to dismiss his lawsuit against Ms Tadros”.

It goes on: “After their discussions, Ms Tadros acknowledges she does not know who drugged her, and both parties recognise that Ms Tadros could have been drugged by one of the many attendees that were present on July 5, 2013”.

“Ms Tadros continues to maintain”, it adds, “that she was drugged and thereby unable to consent on July 5, 2013. Mr Bensussen maintains that he has never drugged or raped anyone, and that he did not have any indication that Ms Tadros was drugged or unable to consent. Furthermore, had Mr Bensussen known or believed that Ms Tadros did not or was unable to consent, he would not have engaged in any sexual activity”.

The statement concludes by confirming that no monies have change hands as part of the settlement between Bensussen and Tadros. Both sides then ask their respective supporters to “show respect and compassion for this decision and for the other side”.



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