PERLUSS, P. J. —
Following the final breakup of what she has described as a physically and verbally abusive relationship with former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Shantel Jackson sued Mayweather for, among other claims, invasion of privacy (both public disclosure of private facts and false light portrayal), defamation and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Those five causes of action were based, either entirely or in substantial part, on Mayweather's social media postings about the termination of Jackson's pregnancy and its relationship to the couple's separation and his comments during a radio interview concerning the extent to which Jackson had undergone cosmetic surgery procedures. Mayweather filed a special motion to strike those causes of action pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16 (section 425.16). The trial court denied the motion. We reverse that ruling with respect to Jackson's claims for defamation and false light portrayal, as well as her cause of action for public disclosure of private facts based on Mayweather's statements that Jackson had an abortion and his comments about her cosmetic surgery.
Jackson's complaint, filed September 4, 2014, recounted a detailed story of the on-again, off-again abusive relationship between a young aspiring model
Jackson and Mayweather were a highly publicized celebrity couple for a number of years and were at one point engaged to be married. However, the relationship frayed. Jackson alleged that in August 2012, shortly after Mayweather's release from jail following his conviction on a domestic violence charge involving another woman, she and Mayweather had an argument during which he twisted her arm, choked her and forcibly took away her cell phone so he could look through it. The couple reconciled after Mayweather apologized and promised he would never again assault Jackson.
In early April 2013, after continued difficulties between them, Jackson decided to end her relationship with Mayweather and moved to Los Angeles. Mayweather persuaded her to try again to make the relationship work, and Jackson returned to Las Vegas two weeks later. However, within a few days the couple resumed arguing, and Jackson again told Mayweather she was going to leave him. At one point during this period Mayweather grabbed Jackson, restrained her and pointed a gun at her foot while asking, "Which toe do you want me to shoot?" Jackson alleged that while forcibly restraining her and with the gun still pointing at her, Mayweather said he would not allow her to leave. He then removed a $2.5 million diamond ring from her finger and took earrings and other jewelry she was wearing. That same evening Mayweather directed a member of his staff to take additional items of Jackson's personal property, which he had stored at a secret location. During this period, according to Jackson, Mayweather kept her a virtual prisoner in his Las Vegas home, monitoring her activities and only allowing her to leave if accompanied by one of his employees.
Jackson moved back to Los Angeles in June 2013. The following month she discovered someone had broken into a storage unit she rented in Southern California and stolen personal property she valued at more than $1 million. Mayweather subsequently confessed he had arranged for the removal of the items and told Jackson he would return them if she came back to him. In late July 2013 Mayweather told Jackson he would "put things out about" her unless she agreed to return to Las Vegas. When she refused to return, Mayweather posted her Los Angeles address on his social media pages and falsely suggested he lived there. Jackson alleged she became concerned for her safety when Mayweather's fans came to the address and then were disappointed to learn he was not there.
Mayweather continued to importune Jackson to return to him and to attempt to make their relationship work. Jackson agreed but said she would
When Jackson refused to move back to Las Vegas during this period, Mayweather became verbally abusive and threatening. During an argument in February 2014 in Los Angeles, Mayweather once again physically restrained Jackson, blocking the door to his condominium and preventing her from leaving for more than one hour.
On April 12, 2014 Jackson attended a basketball game with the rapper Nelly and posted a photograph of the two of them on her social media pages. Mayweather threatened to post photographs he had taken of Jackson sleeping naked if she did not take down the Nelly photograph. Jackson rejected the demand and also refused to reconcile with Mayweather. In response, on May 1, 2014 Mayweather posted on his Facebook and Instagram accounts, "the real reason me and Shantel Christine Jackson @MissJackson broke up was because she got an abortion, and I'm totally against killing babies. She killed our twin babies. #ShantelJackson #Floyd Mayweather #TheMoneyTeam #TMT." Mayweather also posted a copy of the sonogram of the twin fetuses and a summary medical report regarding the pregnancy. Media outlets, including TMZ, republished the sonogram and medical report. The following day Mayweather again discussed Jackson's abortion during a radio interview and also stated she had undergone extensive cosmetic surgery procedures.
Based on the allegations regarding Mayweather's posting of information about Jackson's pregnancy and its termination, including the sonogram and medical report, and the broadcast of the statement she had cosmetic surgery on her face and body, Jackson's complaint asserted causes of action for invasion of privacy (public disclosure of private facts), invasion of privacy (false light portrayal) and defamation. Other general allegations served as the bases for causes of action for conversion, replevin/possession of personal property, battery, assault and false imprisonment. Incorporating all of the allegations by reference Jackson also asserted causes of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and civil harassment.
Mayweather responded to Jackson's complaint by filing a special motion to strike five of the complaint's 11 causes of action: the two privacy causes of action, the defamation cause of action and the causes of action for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Mayweather argued these claims fell within the ambit of section 425.16 because he and Jackson were in the public eye and abortion is a topic of widespread public interest. In support of the first point Mayweather presented evidence that Jackson had promoted her own status as a celebrity and had 47,145 Twitter followers in January 2012 and 78,628 Twitter followers by mid-September 2013, as well as 174,000 Instagram followers in November 2013 and more than 258,000 by May 2014. She also had her own website and, with Mayweather's assistance, had appeared on the Howard Stern radio program and on television.
Contending there was no merit to Jackson's claims, Mayweather argued Jackson had surrendered her right to privacy when she made herself newsworthy by virtue of her relationship with Mayweather. She had willingly participated in publication of private details about that relationship (her reaction to sharing Mayweather with other women was given as an example). Accordingly, the reason for the relationship's demise was equally newsworthy. As for the defamation and false light claims, in his moving papers Mayweather asserted in summary fashion there was no evidence the challenged statements were false or had been made with actual malice. Finally, Mayweather argued, because there was no evidence of falsity or constitutional malice, the First Amendment protected his posts and comments from Jackson's claims the statements had intentionally or negligently caused Jackson extreme emotional distress.
In her declaration filed in opposition to the special motion to strike, Jackson essentially repeated the narrative concerning her relationship with Mayweather contained in her complaint. With respect to Mayweather's May 1, 2014 post that he had ended their relationship because of the abortion, Jackson declared, "He knew that the real reason I would not come back to him was because he wouldn't change his ways" — that is, Mayweather would not alter his abusive behavior toward her. She further declared she considered her pregnancy, the termination of the pregnancy and her medical reports to be private information, something that Mayweather knew.
With respect to the radio broadcast on May 2, 2014, Jackson declared that any cosmetic surgery procedures she had undergone were confidential. Moreover, during that broadcast Mayweather had falsely said she had cosmetic
In her legal memorandum in opposition to the motion, Jackson argued Mayweather's conduct giving rise to her claims — his disregard for her medical privacy — was entirely unrelated to the public debate over abortion.
In reply papers Mayweather emphasized that Jackson's evidentiary presentation had not disputed she was a public figure and had publicized intimate aspects of her relationship with Mayweather prior to their final breakup. He also noted Jackson did not deny abortion was an issue of significant public interest or that there was widespread interest in the couple's breakup and the reasons for it. He also contended that Jackson had conceded in her complaint that she had undergone cosmetic surgery (on her breasts and buttocks, Mayweather stated) and that in the radio interview he had not said she had work done on her nose, cheeks and chin, only that "a lot of pretty women" had. Finally, Mayweather argued the real reason for the end of their relationship (indeed, of any relationship) was a matter of opinion, not a provable fact that could support a defamation cause of action.
The trial court denied Mayweather's motion in a 10-page ruling. The court first found that Mayweather had satisfied his burden of showing the five causes of action arose from protected activity within the meaning of section 425.16, subdivision (e)(3) and (4). The court explained abortion is an issue of widespread interest, Jackson was a person in the public eye, and Jackson's relationship with Mayweather was a matter of public interest and media attention. However, the court concluded Jackson had established a likelihood of prevailing on each of her claims. Citing case law, the court reasoned that whether Mayweather's statements were subject to a newsworthy privilege or were otherwise protected by the First Amendment depended on contemporary standards and thus was largely a question of fact for a jury to decide. The court also ruled that Jackson's evidence was sufficient to establish a prima facie case that Mayweather knowingly disseminated false information concerning the reasons for the couple's breakup and the extent of Jackson's cosmetic surgery.
Section 425.16 provides, "A cause of action against a person arising from any act of that person in furtherance of the person's right of petition or free speech under the United States Constitution or the California Constitution in connection with a public issue shall be subject to a special motion to strike, unless the court determines that the plaintiff has established that there is a probability that the plaintiff will prevail on the claim." (§ 425.16, subd. (b)(1).) Pursuant to subdivision (e), an "`act in furtherance of a person's right of petition or free speech under the United States or California Constitution in connection with a public issue' includes: (1) any written or oral statement or writing made before a legislative, executive, or judicial proceeding, or any other official proceeding authorized by law, (2) any written or oral statement or writing made in connection with an issue under consideration or review by a legislative, executive, or judicial body, or any other official proceeding authorized by law, (3) any written or oral statement or writing made in a place open to the public or a public forum in connection with an issue of public interest, or (4) any other conduct in furtherance of the exercise of the constitutional right of petition or the constitutional right of free speech in connection with a public issue or an issue of public interest." (§ 425.16, subd. (e).)
"When relief is sought based on allegations of both protected and unprotected activity, the unprotected activity is disregarded at [the first] stage. If the court determines that relief is sought based on allegations arising from activity protected by the statute, the second step is reached." (Baral, supra, 1 Cal.5th at p. 396.) However, "if the allegations of protected activity are only incidental to a cause of action based essentially on nonprotected activity, the mere mention of the protected activity does not subject the cause of action to an anti-SLAPP motion." (Scott v. Metabolife Internat., Inc. (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 404, 414 [9 Cal.Rptr.3d 242]; accord, Kenne v. Stennis (2014) 230 Cal.App.4th 953, 967-968 [179 Cal.Rptr.3d 198]; World Financial Group, Inc. v. HBW Ins. & Financial Services, Inc. (2009) 172 Cal.App.4th 1561, 1574 [92 Cal.Rptr.3d 227].)
The defendant has the burden on the first issue; the plaintiff has the burden on the second issue. (Chodos v. Cole (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 692, 701 [148 Cal.Rptr.3d 451]; Kajima Engineering & Construction, Inc. v. City of Los
Although Jackson concedes that discussion of the ethical or moral issues surrounding abortion involves a public issue, she argues Mayweather's actions were not connected to any legitimate public interest in abortion and, therefore, the trial court erred in finding the gravamen of her claims was based on Mayweather's protected activity. Rather, she insists, the principal thrust of her action was harassment, not speech. Accordingly, whether or not we agree Jackson established a probability of prevailing on each of her claims against Mayweather, she contends the trial court's order denying the motion to strike should be affirmed.
Unlike the trial court we doubt whether Mayweather's assertion Jackson had an abortion, his posting of a copy of the sonogram of the twin fetuses or his personal statement of opposition to "killing babies" contributed to the public debate on women's reproductive rights. (See Wilbanks v. Wolk, supra, 121 Cal.App.4th at p. 898 ["it is not enough that the statement refer to a subject of widespread public interest; the statement must in some manner itself contribute to the public debate"]; cf. Gilbert v. Sykes (2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 13, 23-24 [53 Cal.Rptr.3d 752] [website posting not only
This aspect of the threshold requirements of section 425.16 was thoroughly explored by our colleagues in Division Three of this court in Hall v. Time Warner, Inc. (2007) 153 Cal.App.4th 1337 [63 Cal.Rptr.3d 798], an invasion of privacy action filed by Marlon Brando's retired housekeeper, a beneficiary named in Brando's will. The housekeeper sued the producers of the television program Celebrity Justice, who had broadcast a taped interview of the housekeeper at her nursing home. The housekeeper denied authorizing either the interview or its broadcast. The Court of Appeal reversed the denial of an anti-SLAPP motion filed by the producers, explaining, "The public's fascination with Brando and widespread public interest in his personal life made Brando's decisions concerning the distribution of his assets a public issue or an issue of public interest. Although [the housekeeper] was a private person and may not have voluntarily sought publicity or to comment publicly on Brando's will, she nevertheless became involved in an issue of public interest by virtue of being named in Brando's will. Defendants' television broadcast contributed to the public discussion of the issue by identifying [the housekeeper] as a beneficiary and showing her on camera. We conclude that the acts from which the complaint arises ... constituted conduct in furtherance of
Mayweather, like Brando, is someone whose professional accomplishments and private life have generated widespread public interest. A world champion boxer in five different weight divisions, he was at one time listed as the highest paid athlete in the world. In April 2013, while the events at issue in Jackson's complaint were occurring, Mayweather was the subject of a one-hour prime-time network documentary and appeared frequently as a guest on television and radio programs. According to the declaration filed in support of his special motion to strike, Mayweather had "millions of social media followers." Unlike Brando's retired housekeeper, however, the evidence also demonstrated that Jackson willingly participated in publication of information about her own life and her relationship with Mayweather that others — that is, those who did not aspire to a career in modeling and the entertainment industry — might well consider private. Indeed, according to Mayweather, Jackson asked him to help her become famous, which he did.
In sum, whether or not part of a larger campaign of harassment, as alleged by Jackson, Mayweather established that Jackson's causes of action for invasion of privacy and defamation, as well as for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress to the extent based on his social media postings and radio interview comments, arose from protected activity under section 425.16. (See Olive Properties, L.P. v. Coolwaters Enterprises, Inc. (2015) 241 Cal.App.4th 1169, 1175 [194 Cal.Rptr.3d 524] ["`In the context of the anti-SLAPP statute, the "gravamen is defined by the acts on which liability is based." [Citation.] The "focus is on the principal thrust or gravamen of the causes of action, i.e., the allegedly wrongful and injury-producing conduct that provides the foundation for the claims."'"]; Old Republic Construction Program Group v. The Boccardo Law Firm, Inc. (2014) 230 Cal.App.4th 859, 868 [179 Cal.Rptr.3d 129] ["a cause of action arises from protected conduct if the wrongful, injurious act(s) alleged by the plaintiff constitute protected conduct"].) The burden thus shifted to Jackson to demonstrate each challenged claim based on protected activity was legally sufficient and factually substantiated. (Baral, supra, 1 Cal.5th at p. 396.)
Jackson's causes of action for public disclosure of private facts, false light portrayal and defamation are based on Mayweather's May 1, 2014 social media postings regarding the termination of her pregnancy and his reaction to it and on his subsequent statements regarding her cosmetic surgery. Although
Jackson's causes of action for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, however, present an issue regarding so-called "mixed causes of action" not directly addressed in Baral. Although Jackson suggests that Mayweather's comments regarding the termination of her pregnancy and his statements concerning cosmetic surgery, at least when considered together, constituted outrageous behavior that caused her severe emotional suffering, when fairly read, these tort claims challenge Mayweather's entire course of conduct toward her as she ended her relationship with him — not only the social media postings and radio comments but also Mayweather's threats and other retributive behavior. That is, neither claim is predicated solely on protected activity, but neither are those allegations "merely incidental" or "collateral" to the claims for relief. (Cf. Baral, supra, 1 Cal.5th at p. 394 ["[a]ssertions that are `merely incidental' or `collateral' are not subject to section 425.16"].) Accordingly, in evaluating Jackson's probability of prevailing on those two claims, a court would necessarily look at the evidence concerning the entire range of Mayweather's alleged misconduct, not simply the protected activity.
Although "legitimate public interest does not include `a morbid and sensational prying into private lives for its own sake'" (Shulman, supra, 18 Cal.4th at p. 224), the protection accorded the right to disseminate truthful information by both the common law and the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression "`appl[ies] with equal force to the publication whether it be a news report or an entertainment feature ....' Thus, newsworthiness is not limited to `news' in the narrow sense of reports of current events. `It extends also to the use of names, likenesses or facts in giving information to the public for purposes of education, amusement or enlightenment, when the public may reasonably be expected to have a legitimate interest in what is published'" (id. at p. 225; see id. at p. 226 ["[i]ntensely personal or intimate revelations might not, in a given case, be considered newsworthy, especially where they bear only slight relevance to a topic of legitimate public concern"]).
The question whether a publication was newsworthy is different, in both a legal and practical sense, from whether it was offensive within the meaning of the private facts tort. Jackson's pregnancy, the subsequent termination of that pregnancy — whether by abortion (which she has neither admitted nor denied) or otherwise — and her use of cosmetic surgery to enhance her appearance would, under many circumstances, be considered intensely private information; and its unwanted disclosure might well be offensive to a reasonable person. (Cf. Taus v. Loftus, supra, 40 Cal.4th at pp. 733-734 ["personal information about a person that happens to be known by the person's relatives or close friends is not information that has entered the public domain"].) Nonetheless, at a time when entertainment news and celebrity gossip often seem to matter more than serious policy discussions, given Jackson's high profile and voluntary disclosure on social media of many aspects of her personal life, the publication of those otherwise intimate facts must necessarily be considered newsworthy under the broad definition of that term developed and applied by the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal: "[T]here is a public interest which attaches to people who by their accomplishments, mode of living, professional standing or calling, create a legitimate and widespread attention to their activities. Certainly, the accomplishments and way of life of those who have achieved a marked reputation or notoriety by appearing before the public such as actors and actresses [and] professional athletes, ... may legitimately be mentioned and discussed in print or on radio or television. Such public figures have to some extent lost the right of privacy, and it is proper to go further in dealing with their lives
Although Jackson cannot base her private facts cause of action on Mayweather's disclosures that she had an abortion and had undergone cosmetic surgery, Mayweather's posting of the sonogram of the twins Jackson had been carrying before her pregnancy terminated and the summary medical report regarding her pregnancy falls outside the protection accorded a newsworthy report. On this record at least, publishing those images served no legitimate public purpose, even when one includes entertainment news within the zone of protection. Rather, Mayweather's Internet display of this material appears equivalent to the unauthorized distribution of photographs of a decapitated accident victim that the Court of Appeal in Catsouras v. Department of California Highway Patrol (2010) 181 Cal.App.4th 856 [104 Cal.Rptr.3d 352] held properly served as the basis for an invasion of privacy action by the decedent's family.
The Catsouras court recognized that surviving family members have no right of privacy arising from discussions of the life of a decedent, but held they do have a common law privacy right in the death images of the decedent. (Catsouras v. Department of California Highway Patrol, supra, 181 Cal.App.4th at pp. 863-864.) After quoting Shulman for the elements of a claim of invasion of privacy based on the public disclosure of private facts, the Catsouras court acknowledged such images may involve issues of public interest. (Id. at p. 874.)
"If the person defamed is a public figure,[
Jackson's complaint identified as the basis for her defamation claim Mayweather's May 1, 2014 social media posts that the real reason their relationship ended was Jackson's abortion and his May 2, 2014 statements during a radio interview that she had undergone extensive cosmetic surgery procedures. According to Jackson, she, not Mayweather, ended their relationship; she did so because he would not change his ways (that is, because of his abusive behavior); and Mayweather's contrary explanation was deliberately false. Mayweather, in response, has argued the reason a couple ended their relationship is necessarily a matter of opinion and, therefore, cannot be the basis for a defamation cause of action. He also argues his comments about Jackson's plastic surgery were in substance true, even if Jackson's surgery did not include all the body parts to which he alluded. Although Mayweather's analysis with respect to the May 1, 2014 postings is flawed, we agree Jackson failed to demonstrate a probability of prevailing as to either basis for her defamation claim.
The breakup of a romantic relationship can be mutual or unilateral. While it may be difficult in some instances to sort out which party initiated the separation (or whether both did), Mayweather's unequivocal statement that he ended his lengthy relationship with Jackson is an assertion of fact capable of being proved true or false, not opinion. Similarly, his explanation that he acted as he did because of his strong negative views on abortion is a statement of fact that is either true or false. Jackson's declaration contesting the truth of these statements — that she, not Mayweather, initiated the breakup and she ended the relationship because he refused to reform his abusive behavior — if credited, established that Mayweather made a provably false assertion of fact and did so knowingly, that is with constitutional malice.
As for Mayweather's comments during the May 2, 2014 radio interview, Jackson does not contest the fact that she has had cosmetic surgery. However, she declared in opposition to Mayweather's motion that he had falsely stated she had surgery to change her nose, chin and cheeks.
In this court Jackson argues, without citation to evidence in the record or legal authority, that the false assertion her entire appearance was the result of cosmetic surgery was damaging to her career. What she fails to address even in this conclusory fashion, however, is how Mayweather's exaggeration of the extent of cosmetic surgery she tacitly concedes she had (on her breasts and buttocks) created a different and negative effect on the radio audience from that which the truth would have produced. As Mayweather argues, falsity cannot be shown if the challenged statements appear substantially true: "To bar liability, `"it is sufficient if the substance of the charge be proved true, irrespective of slight inaccuracy in the details." [Citations] ... [Citation.]... Minor inaccuracies do not amount to falsity so long as "the substance, the gist, the sting, of the libelous charge be justified." [Citations.] Put another way, the statement is not considered false unless it "would have a different effect on the mind of the reader from that which the pleaded truth
It is certainly conceivable that surgical enhancement of the face is different for the reputation of an actress or model from the augmentation or sculpting of other parts of her body. But Jackson presented no evidence in opposition to Mayweather's motion, expert or otherwise, that would permit a finder of fact to draw that distinction. It was her burden to do so. Thus, the radio comments concerning cosmetic surgery do not support a defamation cause of action.
In sum, the trial court erred in denying Mayweather's special motion to strike directed to Jackson's defamation claims.
In her brief Jackson acknowledges her false light claim is based on the same statements as the cause of action for disclosure of private facts — that is, Mayweather's assertion that he broke off the couple's relationship because Jackson had an abortion and his comments that she had cosmetic surgery on her face, as well as other parts of her body.
"Liability for intentional infliction of emotional distress `"does not extend to mere insults, indignities, threats, annoyances, petty oppressions, or other trivialities." [Citation.]' [Citations] .... [¶] With respect to the requirement that a plaintiff show severe emotional distress, [the Supreme Court] has set a high bar. `Severe emotional distress means "`emotional distress of such substantial quality or enduring quality that no reasonable [person] in civilized society should be expected to endure it.'"'" (Hughes v. Pair, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 1051.) It is for the court to determine in the first instance whether the defendant's conduct may reasonably be regarded as so extreme and outrageous as to permit recovery. (Chang v. Lederman (2009) 172 Cal.App.4th 67, 87 [90 Cal.Rptr.3d 758]; Fowler v. Varian Associates, Inc. (1987) 196 Cal.App.3d 34, 44 [241 Cal.Rptr. 539].)
But as Jackson explains in her respondent's brief, her cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress "is based upon the entire range of Mayweather's conduct toward Ms. Jackson." Mayweather's section 425.16 motion, of course, does not challenge the nonspeech aspects of this claim — allegations that Mayweather engaged in a campaign of harassment, including verbal and physical abuse, that began long before the May 1 and 2, 2014 public disclosures. Accordingly, although Mayweather's social media postings and comments regarding Jackson during the radio interview may not, without more, serve as the basis for a claim of intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress (see Baral, supra, 1 Cal.5th at p. 392; see also Reader's Digest Assn. v. Superior Court, supra, 37 Cal.3d at p. 265 ["liability cannot be imposed on any theory for what has been determined to be a constitutionally protected publication"]),
The order denying the special motion to strike is reversed with respect to Jackson's causes of action for defamation and false light portrayal and her cause of action for public disclosure of private facts based on Mayweather's statements that she had an abortion and his comments about cosmetic surgery. In all other respects the order is affirmed. The parties are to bear their own costs on appeal.
Zelon, J., and Segal, J., concurred.
Jackson does not dispute that she is properly considered a public figure by reason of her celebrity status for purposes of her invasion of privacy and defamation causes of action.