By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 31 – Robert De Niro and Canal Productions were sued in 2019 for gender discrimination by Graham Chase Robinson, who had begun working as De Niro's executive assistant in 2008, at 25 years old.
She said she was discriminated against - then De Niro sued her, and she sued him.
On March 10, 2020 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker held a proceeding. Inner City Press covered it. Inner City Press had previously checked in on the case, on January 30, 2020, here.
"in SDNY, Robert De Niro is being sued by former employee Graham Chase Robinson for gender discrimination, not paying overtime - and retaliating. De Niro's lawyers complaint to SDNY Magistrate Judge Parker that the plaintiff won't say to whose salary she's comparing what she was paid."
Since then the case was reassigned to District Judge Lewis J. Liman; a protective order was filed.
On April 26, 2021 - a full year later -- Judge Parker said that the motion to amend the answer and add counter-claims is due May 10 and replies due June 21, with another conference set for June 28.
Inner City Press called to cover the June 28 conference, and found the defendants hammering away at plaintiff Robinson's alleged misrepresentations.
On December 15, 2021, there was another conference, that Inner City live tweeted here:
De Nero's lawyer wants to do a 14 hour deposition of the plaintiff. Judge asks why.
Lawyer: There are 2 defendants here, Mr. de Nero and Canal Productions.
Judge: I don't think you are entitled to 14 hours.
De Nero's lawyer asks to move the deposition - now whittled down to 7 hours - from Friday to Monday. Judge orders it so, telling Plaintiff take make herself available absent some medical emergency.
Judge: I expect the defense not to engage in speaking objections
Plaintiff's lawyer complaints that De Nero is refusing to make his personal trainer Dan Harvey available for a deposition. Judge: Schedule them out, get them on the calendar.
Plaintiff wants to depose "de Niro's girlfriend Ms. Chen," saying de Nero ranted at her.
Defense lawyer cuts in and says, This is material that hasn't been filed in this case.
Judge: I'm not sure it would be entitled to sealing.
De Nero's lawyer wants to do discovery on plaintiff's AOL email account that she used in high school, despite it not being in use for years (other than, it's said, food delivery service receipts).
On January 31, 2022 Judge Parker held another proceeding and Inner City Press again covered it. Judge Parker extended discovery, reluctantly she said, "for the sole purpose of deposing the five individuals identified by Plaintiff: Mr. Robert De Niro, Mr. Michael Kaplan, Tom Harvey, Michael Tasch and Tiffany Chen.
On April 21, Judge Parker held another discovery conference. Inner City Press went to her 17th floor courtroom. Plaintiff's counsel appeared by phone and complained that De Niro had refused questions at his deposition, on which 38 minutes remain.
Judge Parker ordered two additional hours, stating that objections need to be limited and the plaintiff's side is "prohibited from asking inappropriate topics." The next conference is set for May 18. Watch this site.
The case is Robinson v. De Niro et al., 19-cv-9156 (Liman / Parker)
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