Mariah Carey wins dismissal of brother’s defamation suit over memoir

Mariah Carey won the dismissal of her brother Morgan Carey’s defamation lawsuit in New York on Monday, October 19, over passages in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. Judge Leslie A. Stroth found that Morgan had not sufficiently established actual malice, ending the remaining claims at the trial court, though his lawyer says he plans to appeal.

Why the judge dismissed Morgan Carey’s claims

Morgan sued his sister in 2021, alleging that the memoir damaged his reputation by portraying him as violent and suggesting that he dealt drugs or had a criminal history. Those descriptions were the subject of his lawsuit; the dismissal does not establish whether the disputed passages were true. Variety reported that he also said the book affected his work prospects.

How the memoir lawsuit reached this ruling

The case had already narrowed substantially. Variety reported that a judge dismissed 14 of the original 16 claims in 2022, along with all claims against the book’s publisher. The remaining dispute concerned passages about alleged drug dealing and the suggestion that Morgan had ‘been in the system.’ An earlier appeal left that partial dismissal in place, Variety reported.

Mariah’s lawyer, John Rosenberg, said she was ‘gratified’ by the decision, according to WBLS. RTÉ reported Rosenberg’s comments to Billboard, where he said the ruling recognised that the memoir addressed matters of public interest.

Morgan’s lawyer said he intends to appeal the latest dismissal, Variety reported. The reports establish a plan to challenge the ruling, but do not establish that a new appeal has been filed.