A New York judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought against singer Mariah Carey by her brother, Morgan Carey, over claims made in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
The ruling, delivered on Monday and reported on Tuesday, found that Morgan Carey had failed to sufficiently establish that his sister acted with actual malice when making the statements challenged in court.
Morgan sued the singer in 2021, arguing that passages in the memoir damaged his reputation by portraying him as having been involved in drug dealing and having spent time in prison. He also challenged descriptions of him as violent.
Most of the claims were dismissed in 2022, but two passages concerning alleged drug dealing and imprisonment were allowed to proceed.
In the latest ruling, Judge Leslie A. Stroth found that the remaining claims did not adequately establish the required legal standard of actual malice.
Morgan Carey had sought more than $20 million in damages. His lawyer, Richard Altman, said he disagreed with the decision and intended to appeal.
Carey’s lawyer, John Rosenberg, said the singer was gratified by the ruling, arguing that it recognised her memoir’s discussion of matters of public interest.
The decision marks a further development in a legal dispute that has followed the publication of Carey’s memoir, which details aspects of her personal life and family relationships.
The case could continue if an appeal is filed, meaning the latest ruling may not be the final stage of the dispute.
