The defamation lawsuit filed in October 2020 by Gilbert Rozon against Julie Snyder and Pénélope McQuade is a gag action tactic, allege requests for dismissal for abuse of process filed earlier this week in Superior Court by the respective lawyers of the two women.
Mmy McQuade and Snyder thus respond to the prosecution of the ex-laughter magnate, who claims $ 450,000 from them for damaging his reputation for comments made in September 2020 during the show The week of 4 Julie, moderated by Julie Snyder.
This is the first time in Quebec that the prosecution-gag charge has been used in such a context, specifies Hugo St-Laurent, one of Mr.me Snyder and Productions La Lune, who produce his show. This makes it a case that could set a precedent. Typically, these petitions are used by citizen groups, or community organizations, who speak out against libel lawsuits filed by large corporations against them.
“Gilbert Rozon’s exorbitant claim is only intended to intimidate, silence and muzzle the defendants, who, like several other women, had the courage to publicly denounce his unacceptable behavior”, states the request of the attorneys for Julie Snyder. This prosecution “has all the characteristics that the legislator had in mind when it introduced the notion of abuse of process into law, in particular with the aim of countering gag action”.
With this lawsuit, Gilbert Rozon seeks to muzzle not only the two plaintiffs, but also “any other victim who would be tempted to imitate them as part of the collective movement to denounce sexual misconduct”, one indicates.
These lawsuits have “a paralyzing effect on the victims of sexual violence,” adds the request filed by the lawyers of Penelope McQuade. The victims censor themselves for fear of being prosecuted ”.
Called by Press commenting on this request, Gilbert Rozon simply declared that he “lets justice do its job”.
The plaintiffs use, in support of their request, excerpts from the examination for discovery carried out with Mr. Rozon in the context of his own prosecution. “I will regret all my life that I did not sue the media in 2017 who made statements without verifying or validating. In 2020, when I continue, I think everyone expected that they could still wipe their feet on me and, so, I guess people were like, “Well, anyway, Rozon, he won’t continue, so you can say that. ” But it is extremely serious, which has been said, and it deserved two seconds of analysis by responsible people, ”he said in the extract cited in the requests.
In 2017, [Gilbert Rozon n’a] not said a word, but three years later, [il] continued[t] everybody. That’s how he answers pretty much all of the discovery questions. An extremely belligerent position.
Mathieu Piché-Messier, lawyer for Julie Snyder
In 2017, many women, including Julie Snyder, denounced sexual misconduct on the part of Mr. Rozon in various media. As part of this request for abuse of process, Julie Snyder has also drafted a sworn statement relating to the sexual assault of which she says she was the victim on the part of Gilbert Rozon.
Mme Snyder declined our interview request, simply stating that “the request speaks for itself and my sworn statement supporting it as well.”
In criminal matters, only one complaint was retained against Mr. Rozon, that of Annick Charrette. At the end of a trial which concluded in the fall of 2020, he was acquitted. Since last April, six women have filed civil lawsuits against the former CEO of Just for Laughs. What makes say to the lawyers of Pénélope McQuade that “no damage can either be proved, the reputation of Mr. Rozon relative to his sexual behavior towards the women having been reduced to nothing well before the emission”.