A New York judge has ruled against Kesha's appeal to reopen her case against Sony and Dr. Luke. New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich has said that the singer is not a "slave" to the record label and that Dr. Luke — whom Kesha has accused of sexual, physical and emotional abuse — did not commit a "hate crime" against the singer.
Kornreich's decision follows a February court ruling in which she denied an injunction to have Kesha's contract with Sony and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe imprint annulled.
Late last month, Kesha's legal team filed paperwork appealing the decision, comparing being bound by the business contract to slavery. Since Sony had previously claimed it wasn't forcing Kesha to work with Dr. Luke, Kornreich sided with the label.
Kesha's case had also accused Dr. Luke of years of abuse, including drugging and raping the singer. The artist's legal team had pushed to have his actions tried under New York's hate crime laws, but Kornreich ruled against this, saying that the alleged actions were not "motivated by gender animus."
"Although [Luke's] alleged actions were directed to Kesha, who is female, [her claims] do no allege that [Luke] harboured animus toward women or was motivated by gender animus when he allegedly behaved violently toward Kesha," the judge said [via The Hollywood Reporter].
The judge added: "Every rape is not a gender-motivated hate crime."
Earlier this week, Kesha had said in an online post that she had been offered "freedom" from Sony if she were to make a public apology and retract her accusations against Dr. Luke. Kesha responded: "I will not take back the truth. I would rather let the truth ruin my career than lie for a monster ever again."
Dr. Luke has denied Kesha's accusations, with a recent statement claiming the singer is "seeking to break contracts that brought her success and millions so she can enter into more lucrative ones."
Kornreich's decision follows a February court ruling in which she denied an injunction to have Kesha's contract with Sony and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe imprint annulled.
Late last month, Kesha's legal team filed paperwork appealing the decision, comparing being bound by the business contract to slavery. Since Sony had previously claimed it wasn't forcing Kesha to work with Dr. Luke, Kornreich sided with the label.
Kesha's case had also accused Dr. Luke of years of abuse, including drugging and raping the singer. The artist's legal team had pushed to have his actions tried under New York's hate crime laws, but Kornreich ruled against this, saying that the alleged actions were not "motivated by gender animus."
"Although [Luke's] alleged actions were directed to Kesha, who is female, [her claims] do no allege that [Luke] harboured animus toward women or was motivated by gender animus when he allegedly behaved violently toward Kesha," the judge said [via The Hollywood Reporter].
The judge added: "Every rape is not a gender-motivated hate crime."
Earlier this week, Kesha had said in an online post that she had been offered "freedom" from Sony if she were to make a public apology and retract her accusations against Dr. Luke. Kesha responded: "I will not take back the truth. I would rather let the truth ruin my career than lie for a monster ever again."
Dr. Luke has denied Kesha's accusations, with a recent statement claiming the singer is "seeking to break contracts that brought her success and millions so she can enter into more lucrative ones."