Johnny Depp Settles Robin Eckert's 'Butt Exposure' Lawsuit
Johnny Depp settled the lawsuit brought against him by Robin Eckert.
Eckert claimed in her lawsuit that Depp's bodyguard dragged her across the VIP section of an Iggy Pop concert, causing her pants to slip down and exposing her "buttocks" to the crowd, reports TMZ.
Although the case settled, Eckert has faced some legal challenges up to this point.
Eckert Can't be a "Lone Ranger"
Unlike the Lone Ranger, Robin Eckert couldn't keep her identity a secret in her lawsuit against Johnny Depp. Eckert originally filed the lawsuit as a Jane Doe, but a judge made her refile the case using her real name.
Courts only allow plaintiffs to identify themselves as "Jane Doe" only when there are privacy concerns, like matters of sexual conduct or when disclosing the plaintiff's name will cause retaliation against him or her. However, simply wanting to shield yourself from embarrassment isn't enough to file an anonymous lawsuit.
For example, Bethenny Frankel was able to continue her divorce case under the name "Anonymous" because she proved to the court that the case should be sealed to protect her welfare as a public figure and her child's welfare.
However, in Eckert's case, the judge stated that there were, "no allegations concerning sexual activity or other sensitive or private conduct that courts have recognized as exceptional," reports The Hollywood Reporter. Plus, the scuffle occurred at a public concert and in plain view of onlookers, so there wasn't any behind-closed-doors activity going on.
No Punitive Damages
It might have been in Robin Eckert's best interest to settle the lawsuit with Johnny Depp, because the judge threw out Eckert's request for punitive damages. Punitive damages are typically only awarded when there's a willful or malicious wrongdoing.
In this case, even if the judge allowed the jury to decide on punitive damages, the outcome doesn't look good for Eckert. First of all, the judge threw out certain employment claims brought by Eckert because she didn't allege that Depp was responsible for hiring or training his bodyguards, said The Hollywood Reporter. So a jury wouldn't get to decide whether Depp maliciously ordered his bodyguards to hurt Eckert.
Although Iggy Pop is known for his wild performances, none of his fans would've imagined that Johnny Depp would be the one sued for attending his concert.
Related Resources:
- Johnny Depp's Bodyguards -- Accused of Tackling Disabled Woman(TMZ)
- Assault, Battery and Intentional Torts (FindLaw)
- Katt Williams' Bodyguard Kills Dog, Comedian Replaces it With Puppy (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Britney Spears' Bodyguard: Star Has 'Obnoxious Personal Habits' (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
