Victory For Dr. Phil! Defamation Lawsuit From Former Natalee Holloway Murder Suspects Dismissed
March 24 2015, Updated 8:41 p.m. ET
More than six years and dozens of legal filings later, Dr. Phil McGraw has emerged victorious in a legal tussle against former Natalee Holloway murder suspects Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. The brothers had sued him for defamation back in 2008, but RadarOnline.com has learned that the case was dismissed on March 17.
The Surinamese brothers sued Dr. Phil and CBS Paramount Domestic Studios in 2008, over allegations that producers of the Dr. Phil show hired private investigators and traveled to Aruba. After agreeing to meet the private investigator, the plaintiffs alleged, they were videotaped without their permission. Deepak Kalpoe claims he never had sex with Holloway, despite appearing to admitting to it on the show. Their lawsuit accused Dr. Phil of defamation, invasion of privacy and infliction of emotional distress.
According to court documents obtained exclusively by RadarOnline.com, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice on March 17.
Under California law, when a lawsuit is dismissed with prejudice, the plaintiffs are forbidden from filing another lawsuit against the defendant on similar grounds.
It's unclear if there was a settlement in the case.
Alabama teenager Holloway disappeared while on a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island in 2005.
The Kalpoes were arrested and questioned in the case three times, but released each time due to a lack of evidence.