Los Angeles (myFOXla.com) – Courtney Love has fired back at a fashion designer’s decision to file a libel suit against her by moving to dismiss the case while also alleging the woman overcharged her and invited her to use drugs.
According to Dawn Simorangkir’s suit, filed March 26 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Love used Twitter to disseminate “an obsessive and delusional crusade” of malicious libel against her.
Simorangkir also claims Love, widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, slandered her on MySpace.
However, on Wednesday the 45-year-old former Hole singer and her lawyers filed a motion to toss Simorangkir’s case on the grounds it violates Love’s right to free speech on Twitter and other social networking sites. Love states she wants to warn other consumers who might deal with Simorangkir online, but insists she did not say anything she believed was inaccurate or malicious.
In her suit, Simorangkir maintains that Love became infatuated with her and her Boudoir Queen clothing line after discovering the designer on Etsy, an online marketplace catering to independent designers.
Love hired Simorangkir to create clothing for her and flew her out to Los Angeles, but then balked when she was invoiced for the designer’s work in February and March, according to the lawsuit.
When Simorangkir suspended her work for Love, the singer began “exhibiting an intense level of animosity towards Simorangkir that has gone well beyond what any reasonable person would consider acceptable behavior,” the suit alleges.
Some of Love’s alleged Twitter messages are attached to Simorangkir’s complaint, including one that reads, “Oi vey don’t (expletive) with my wardrobe or you will end up in a circle of scorched earth hunted til your dead.”
“Whether caused by drug-induced psychosis, a warped understanding of reality or the belief that money and fame allow her to disregard the law, Love has embarked on what is nothing short of an obsessive and delusional crusade to destroy Simorangkir’s reputation and her livelihood,” the designer’s complaint alleges.
But in her dismissal motion, Love includes a sworn declaration in which she alleges Simorangkir used racist language, suggested they use drugs together, did not return some of the singer’s vintage clothing and tried to price-gouge her.
“During our second face-to-face meeting, Simorangkir repeatedly asked me both to partake in and to procure cocaine, Percocet and other illegal and prescription drugs for herself and her husband,” Love states. “I told Simorangkir that my hard-partying days were in the past and I declined to use her and her husband’s drugs.”
Simorangkir, drinking heavily during the meeting, said she used to “deal drugs,” according to Love. She also asked Love about her song “Teenage Whore” and said she formerly worked as a prostitute, had been molested as a child and considered herself a “tough street girl,” according to Love.
Simorangkir made “racist, homophobic and generally mean-spirited” comments during the meeting, and also used the “N” word, according to Love.
“She repeatedly referred to one of her seamstresses…a Latina woman, as the (expletive) that works for me,” according to Love.
The fashion designer asked Love about her daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, then said she lost custody of her own son because of her past as a drug dealer and prostitute, Love states.
“Simorangkir further made disparaging remarks to me regarding her estranged son, which deeply disturbed me as a single parent,” Love states.
Love says she was surprised to get her first bill and see that it was higher than allegedly promised.
“I was outraged by Simorangkir’s malicious attempt to gouge additional money out of me, particularly in light of the fact that she previously had treated me as a friend and had promised to uphold the terms of our agreement,” Love states.
Love is the first celebrity to be sued for allegedly making defamatory remarks on Twitter, according to Simorangkir’s lawyer, Bryan J. Freedman.
Freedman scoffed at Love’s comments that she wants to warn others about Simorangkir.
“I think we can all agree that it certainly does not behoove Ms. Love to engage in a credibility battle. If Love thought it was so important to protect the world from my client, why is it that Love, in writing, practically begged Dawn to continue purchasing clothing from her?”
Bryan Freedman said
Freedman also said Love’s statements about Simorangkir’s personal life are inaccurate.
“False statements about my client being a prostitute and being deemed an unfit parent is not what I would consider a consumer complaint,”
Bryan Freedman said.
A hearing on the dismissal motion is scheduled Oct. 26.
