Justin Baldoni has no plans to back down in his upcoming trial with Blake Lively. According to a report from People, Justin plans to testify even after being dismissed as a defendant. In a filing filed April 9, People reports, Baldoni’s legal team indicated that he, along with producer Jamey Heath and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, will testify in person.
Justin Baldoni will testify at the trial
In a statement to the publication, Baldoni’s attorneys wrote: “Defendants will amend the witness list, indicating that Justin Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath and Melissa Nathan will appear on the crisis publicity charges, as their testimony remains important to rebut the plaintiff’s false allegations about the smear campaign.”According to the report, previously named defendants, including Steve Sarowitz and Jennifer Abel, “will not appear in person, but by deposition.”Her attorneys also rejected Lively’s request for immediate clarification through a deposition in which witnesses would have testified directly.
Blake Lively is “waiting” to testify
On the other hand, Blake Lively, through her lawyer Sigrid McCawley, has also confirmed her presence, saying that she “expects to testify in the trial”. As part of the court’s pre-trial schedule, Lively was ordered to present her final witness and exhibit lists on April 10.
The court rejected Blake Lively’s claims
The latest development follows the April 2 ruling by Judge Lewis J. Liman. In his ruling, he narrowed the scope of the case and removed ‘It Ends With Us’ director Baldoni as a defendant. In a surprising move, he also dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 claims, including sexual harassment, defamation and conspiracy. The lawsuit will now move forward with a smaller set of allegations, such as breach of contract and retaliation claims, against the other parties, including Baldoni’s co-founded Wayfarer Studios.
Blake Lively has made a statement
In a statement shared on her Instagram Stories, Lively said she continues to seek justice. “I will never stop playing my part in the fight to expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence and retaliate against victims,” she wrote, adding: “I know it’s a privilege to be able to stand up. I will not waste it.”He also thanked the judge for the final ruling, reiterating that initiating legal proceedings was not his first option.“The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit,” he wrote, describing his decision as “extensive retaliation” for standing up for a safe work environment.
“Resolution dialog” failed
The court had previously offered the two parties the opportunity to hold “settlement talks” before the hearing. However, talks between the two sides reportedly failed. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, previously stated that negotiations in February were “unsuccessful.”The trial will begin on May 18 in New York.
