It pales in comparison to a similar case in Chicago.
Women in cities across the country have been gathering online in Facebook groups with one purpose: to vet any men they're considering dating. These "Are We Dating the Same Guy?" groups have led to backlash among some of the men who are featured on these pages, including a $75 million lawsuit in Chicago.
Stewart Lucas Murrey of Santa Monica, California is the latest man to find himself at the center of one of these Facebook group controversies. Murrey initially filed a complaint calling out more than 50 women for defamation last June, but a California judge just dismissed one of the many cases Murrey is currently bringing. In total, he's seeking $2.6 million in damages.
Murrey alleged in the complaint that the women "conspired to harm [his] reputation and violate his right to free speech based upon his sex and other discriminatory elements," according to NBC News. On April 8, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted one defendant, Vanessa Valdes, a motion to dismiss the lawsuit as it was deemed to limit her freedom of expression.
"While I am grateful for this outcome, I want to highlight that there are still other defendants continuing to fight this battle," Valdes told NBC News of the outcome. "I want to make it clear that I do not condone retaliation against the plaintiff; the courts will continue to do its intended work. It is my sincere hope that baseless lawsuits like this do not happen to others in the future."
After the ruling, Murrey took to his personal website to issue a statement on the matter. "I do not know who this woman is and continue to have no interest in her. Yet for years, she has gone on social media, web-platforms, and even national television to attack someone who she has never met," he wrote. "This behavior should not be normalized and I am challenging every person in their various roles. The ruling was based only on portions of Valdes' statements about me."
"This is a situation that is bigger than mere libel. We face a threat to privacy and I am prepared for the long fight ahead," he added. On April 10, Murrey went on to tell NBC News that he "will soon issue a more serious and nuanced statement regarding the last hearing."
"This ruling should not be misconstrued at a surface level nor embolden and normalize cyberstalkers," he said, echoing Valdes' sentiments.
As Valdes noted, this story is far from over, as several other women are currently dealing with defamation litigation brought by Murrey.
