Highlights
- Tyler Perry claims he rejected a multi-million dollar settlement offer from his accuser.
- Perry denies dodging a deposition, says he’ll answer questions on his sexuality.
- Perry seeks $7,300 sanction against accuser Mario Rodriguez over alleged discovery abuse.
Tyler Perry is going on the offensive in the sexual assault lawsuit brought against him, and he’s not backing down.
In new court filings, the media mogul alleges his accuser floated a multi-million dollar settlement — and only escalated matters legally once Perry turned it down.
According to TMZ, which obtained the newly filed documents, Perry claims his accuser, Mario Rodriguez, is working overtime to pressure him into a settlement, but the director says he won’t cave.
The filings are Perry’s response to a motion from Rodriguez, who had asked the court to sanction the filmmaker for allegedly failing to appear at a scheduled deposition.
Rodriguez reportedly wanted to question Perry under oath about whether he’s attracted to men.
Perry’s team isn’t having it. Tyler scoffs at Mario’s claims about the deposition and says he already agreed to sit for one.
He also isn’t shying away from the subject of his sexuality. He claims Rodriguez holds the “backwards belief” that he should “be embarrassed to answer questions about his sexual orientation.”
Perry insists he’s not embarrassed, and argues the entire line of questioning has nothing to do with the underlying assault claims.
His filing goes further, characterizing the theory behind the questions as offensive. He claimed Rodriguez’s theory would mean a man who is attracted to men is more likely to have assaulted another man, which he calls a “bigoted stereotype.”
At the center of it all is money. Perry alleges that after he declined a multi-million dollar settlement offer, Rodriguez responded by filing the deposition sanctions motion as a pressure tactic designed to damage his reputation and force his hand.
Now Perry wants the tables turned. He’s asking the court to sanction Rodriguez to the tune of $7,300, accusing him of abusing the discovery process.
The underlying case is no small matter. Rodriguez sued Perry for $77 million, alleging sexual assault.
Per TMZ, Rodriguez claims he met Perry at a gym back in 2015, and that the director later cast him in a film before allegedly assaulting him at his home on more than one occasion.
Perry has consistently and firmly denied every allegation against him. His legal team has previously argued Rodriguez stayed in touch with him for years after the alleged incidents, suggesting the accusations only surfaced once Perry stopped providing him financial support.
A judge has not yet ruled on either side’s motion. Both the deposition dispute and the underlying $77 million suit remain ongoing.
