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Kevin Hart’s Ex-Assistant Denies Damaging Him With Tell-All Interview, Asks Judge to Toss Lawsuit
Kevin Hart’s ex-assistant, Miesha Shakes, asked a Los Angeles judge to dismiss her from the comedian’s bombshell civil extortion lawsuit, In Touch can exclusively reveal.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Miesha denied all allegations of wrongdoing in the case brought by Kevin, 45.
Last year, the actor sued Miesha over an interview she did with YouTuber Tasha K.
Kevin claimed she said things that weren’t true along with things that she learned during her employment with him. Miesha worked for Kevin from 2017 to 2020.
Kevin said Miesha signed a non-disclosure agreement with him after leaving the position. The NDA said Miesha would not speak about Kevin or things she learned while around him.
On top of that, Kevin claimed before the interview was released, his team received a call from Tasha K’s associate.
The entertainer said the caller offered to not post the interview in exchange for a $250,000 payment from Kevin.
Kevin said he turned down the offer and called the police. He added he fired off a cease and desist to Tasha K warning her not to publish the interview.
Despite the legal letter, Tasha K published the interview on December 22, 2023.
A couple of weeks later, Kevin filed the lawsuit accusing the defendants of civil extortion and invasion of privacy.
Miesha was hit with an additional claims of breach of contract and defamation. He claimed his reputation was harmed due to the interview.
Kevin said his entire career is dependent on his public image. The Fatherhood actor, “I also endorse various national brands, and those endorsement deals depend in part on a public perception of my reputation, respectability, and character.” He sued seeking unspecified damages.
As we first reported, Miesha claims she was suffering “mental health issues” when she signed the NDA. She argued it should not be enforced in the case.
Miesha told the court, “At the time of signing the NDA, I was suffering from significant mental health issues and was under considerable financial distress due to my unemployment. Hart was fully aware of my ongoing health issues and critical need for health insurance and funds, as I could not afford health insurance or my prescribed medications.”
She added, “At the time I executed the NDA, I was not aware that it included a confidentiality clause as I was told by Hart that it was simply a mutual release and it would benefit me and my family.” For her part, Tasha K denied all allegations of wrongdoing and demanded the suit be dismissed. She was successful in shutting down Kevin’s plea for a temporary restraining order that would have required her to remove the interview.
Now, in a newly filed answer, Miesha argued for her to be dismissed from the suit.
She said Kevin, “failed to plead specifically which statements, they contend are false and defamatory or which facts [he] contend are true and an invasion of privacy.” Further, her lawyer said, “[Kevin’s] claims are barred in whole or in part because the statements challenged as false and defamatory, to the extent they can be determined, are substantially true.”
Miesha said the statements she made were not defamatory and “constitute expressions of protection opinion.” Further, she claimed she did not act with malice and did not cause Kevin any damage.
Regarding the NDA, her lawyer said, “[Kevin’s] claims are barred in whole or in part because the alleged contract(s) were invalid/illegal and cannot be enforced based on mental or physical incapacity which prevented [Miesha] from having the legal capacity to enter into or understand the alleged contract(s).”
Kevin’s ex-assistant pleaded with the judge to dismiss her from the case immediately. A judge has yet to rule.
As In Touch first reported, Kevin was sued by his ex-friend Jonathan Jackson for fraud earlier this month.
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