US News: Man Sues 50 Women for Defamation After Being Labeled a Bad Date
A Los Angeles court has dismissed the first of over 50 cases against women who accused a man of being a bad date on a private Facebook group.
Stewart Lucas Murrey from Santa Monica in California has filed defamation and sex-based discrimination lawsuits against 50 women.
The women shared their experiences on a Facebook group called Are We Dating The Same Guy? Los Angeles, which has nearly 54,000 members, alleging that Dr. Murrey had behaved inappropriately on various dating apps such as Tinder and Hinge.
A fundraiser was set up to support the women being sued, stating that Dr. Murrey was seeking $2.6 million (£2 million) in damages for “emotional distress and pain and suffering”.
On Monday, the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles dismissed the case against one defendant, Vanessa Valdes, after reviewing all relevant documents.
Dr. Murrey alleged in his GoFundMe campaign that at least 238 Facebook accounts were involved in harming him over a year.
He claimed: “Some of their actions included posting my photos without consent, tracking my movements, conspiring to harass me, creating false stories, and exaggerating their interactions with me.
Similar Facebook groups have been created in cities worldwide, with tens of thousands of members.
The organizers of the Los Angeles group describe it as “a space for women to protect, support, and empower each other”.
The group the women posted about Dr Murrey in. Pic: Facebook
In this group, women can share pictures of men they have dated or plan to date, and members can comment to “warn other women about liars, cheaters, abusers, or anyone exhibiting toxic or dangerous behavior”.
Dr. Murrey stated in his GoFundMe campaign: “I support a safe space for women to protect themselves from stalking, harassment, or harm, not the other way around.
“These women abused the idea of a safe space to gossip, defame, and cyberbully at will. The actions of these defendants are filled with hate and relentless.”
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He also mentioned that he had not met most of the women he is suing, stating: “I have hardly interacted with any of them, if at all.
“I only remember meeting one of them briefly for less than 15 minutes before leaving. Any minimal contact with them was ended by my immediate rejection.”
In a press conference held last month by some of the women sued by Dr. Murrey, they claimed they were “simply telling their truth and unfortunately for him, it was not favorable”.
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On their GoFundMe page, the women stated: “We were simply coming together to share truthful accounts of our personal experiences.
These included valid concerns about the plaintiff’s unsettling behavior and background, which are public knowledge.
“We believe that this plaintiff poses a real danger to the women of Los Angeles. Our negative interactions with him have spanned years. We intend to finally put an end to his harassing behavior once and for all.”
Dr. Murrey and the defendants have not responded immediately to requests for comment from Sky News.
