Taska K asked a court to overturn Cardi B’s $4 million victory in a defamation case.
The vlogger, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, lost a lawsuit to Cardi B earlier this year. Tasha K disputed the verdict in a brief submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on May 27.
Tasha K claimed Judge William Ray skewed the trial in Cardi B’s favor by excluding evidence about the rapper’s character. The YouTuber suggested Ray wrongfully deemed the evidence to be prejudicial, according to court documents obtained by Billboard.
“During the jury trial, the Defendants were prevented from presenting character evidence and specific instances of conduct of the Plaintiff, despite the fact that under Georgia law, if there is an assertion of damage to reputation, Plaintiff’s character is substantively at issue,” Tasha K’s attorneys wrote. “The jury heard a very lop-sided presentation of evidence and, because they did not get to learn who the Plaintiff truly is, the jury returned a general verdict for the Plaintiff, against both Defendants.”
A jury found Tasha K liable for defamation, false light invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. But her lawyers suggested Cardi B never proved the allegations.
“Plaintiff’s case was based on six statements, which she alleged were defamatory,” Tasha K’s legal team wrote. “However, Plaintiff failed to prove, with clear and convincing evidence, that the Defendants published any of the six statements with actual malice. The gist of Plaintiff’s evidence consisted of her general denial that any of the statements were true. Meanwhile, the Defendants presented evidence that proved they did not act with actual malice. The Plaintiff also failed to present evidence to show that the Defendants directed any of the six statements at her, thereby preventing her from recovering for intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
Tasha K urged the court to reverse the judgment and call for a new trial. Cardi B’s attorneys will respond in the coming weeks.
