Woman wants to drop sexual assault lawsuit against ex-Grammys CEO

NEW YORK (AP) — A woman who accused the former Grammy Awards CEO of sexually assaulting her in 2018 has asked a judge to drop her lawsuit.

The woman made the request in a weekend letter to a judge, citing “fear of possible serious harm” if she were forced to give up her anonymity. The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court against former Grammy Awards CEO Neil Portnow.

The woman was identified in the lawsuit as an internationally known musician who once played at Carnegie Hall. Her request prompted Judge Analisa Torres on Wednesday to suspend further action in the lawsuit, but did not yet dismiss it.

When the lawsuit was filed in November, a Portnow spokesman said the allegations were “completely false” and “undoubtedly a result of Mr. Portnow’s refusal to comply with Plaintiff’s outrageous demands for money and assistance in obtaining a residency visa for her.” “.

His lawyer declined to comment Wednesday.

The woman had sued under the Adult Survivors Act, a recently expired New York state law that temporarily allowed victims of sexual assault to file claims for damages even after the statute of limitations had expired.