Jerry Lee Lewis Lawsuit Against Daughter And Son-In-Law Thrown Out Of Court
Mar. 18 2017, Published 6:36 p.m. ET
Jerry Lee Lewis' lawsuit against his son-in-law was thrown out of court on Wednesday, RadarOnline.com has learned. The "Great Balls of Fire" singer, 81, had sued his daughter Phoebe's husband Ezekiel Loftin for libel and other issues stemming from Loftin's Facebook posts. Later, he reportedly added Phoebe to the lawsuit. And in the sensational legal papers, Lewis and other family members charged that Loftin and Phoebe were stealing his millions, and committing elder abuse while keeping the musical icon sedated! Click through the gallery for more on RadarOnline.com's exclusive court papers.
Last September, Jerry Lee, his wife Judith, his daughter Lori, and his son Jerry Lee III filed suit against Loftin for "libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and false light" over Loftin's Facebook posts. Lewis claimed Loftin used Facebook to target the singer and his family. Loftin is married to Lewis' other daughter, Phoebe.Last September, Jerry Lee, his wife Judith, his daughter Lori, and his son Jerry Lee III filed suit against Loftin for "libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and false light" over Loftin's Facebook posts. Lewis claimed Loftin used Facebook to target the singer and his family. Loftin is married to Lewis' other daughter, Phoebe.
As RadarOnline.com's legal documents show, on Wednesday, March 15, Judge Diane K. Vescovo in Tennessee ruled against Jerry Lee because she said he and his co-plaintiff family members had failed to prove that the case would fall under the jurisdiction of the state of Tennessee, where they had filed the case.
Loftin argued that Tennessee couldn't properly exercise jurisdiction over him because he "does not transact any business in Tennessee; he does not own real property in this state or insure any person or property with this state…." And the judge agreed with him in her Wednesday ruling. Loftin lives in Virginia, while Jerry Lee lives in Mississippi.
As part of the lawsuit, Jerry Lee said his daughter Phoebe took advantage of him while she managed his career from 2000 to 2012, and plotted to spend his fortune with her husband, Loftin. Jerry Lee contended the couple was allegedly "physically and verbally abusive" and that they kept him "alone on a 30-acre tract of land, in a house so moldy that he was forced to wear an oxygen mask around the clock."
As legal papers obtained by RadarOnline.com show, Jerry Lee contended Phoebe and Loftin "regularly leave Jerry Lee Lewis alone and sedated," that they gave him a "cocktail of psychotropic drugs to keep him sedated and compliant," and that they were "physically and verbally abusive."
The "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going" on singer and his family members alleged that Loftin used Facebook posts "containing at least 19 separate instances of defamation," two of which were in Tennessee.
However, the judge ruled against Jerry Lee and his legal team, saying it was "insufficient to establish specific jurisdiction" in Tennessee for the suit against Loftin.
And the court also slapped down Jerry Lee's legal eagles for adding "a plethora of allegations which have no bearing on jurisdictional issues," including those involving the singer's charges that Phoebe and Loftin left him alone and sedated on drugs to keep him compliant.
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