Justin Baldoni has no plans to back out of his upcoming courtship with Blake Lively. According to a report on People, Justin plans to testify, even after he is dismissed as an accuser.
In an April 9 filing, People reported that Baldoni’s legal team stated that he, along with producer Jamie Heath and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, would provide personal testimony.
In a statement to the publication, Baldoni’s lawyers wrote: “Defendants will present an amended witness list to reflect that dismissed defendants Justin Baldoni, producer Jimmy Heath and crisis propagandist Melissa Nathan will appear to provide personal testimony because their testimony remains relevant to refute Plaintiff’s false claims of a smear campaign.”According to the report, the previously mentioned defendants, including Steve Sarewitz and Jennifer Appel, “will not appear in person but by deposition.”His attorneys also responded to Lively’s request for immediate clarification about which witnesses will testify live versus testifying.Meanwhile, Blake Lively, through her lawyer Sigrid McCauley, also confirmed her attendance, saying she “looks forward to testifying at trial.”
As part of the court’s pre-trial docket, Lively was directed to present her final testimony and exhibits on April 10.The latest development comes on the heels of a ruling by Judge Louis J. Lehman on April 2. In his ruling, he narrowed the scope of the case and removed “It Ends With Us” director Baldoni as a defendant. In a surprise move, he also dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 allegations, including sexual harassment, defamation and conspiracy. The case will now move forward with a smaller set of claims, such as breach of contract and retaliation claims, to move forward against the remaining parties, including Wayfarer Studios, which Baldoni co-founded.In a statement posted on Instagram Stories, Lively said she remains committed to seeking justice. “I will never stop doing my part in the fight to expose systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence, and retaliate against victims,” she wrote, adding: “I know it is an honor to be able to stand up.
I won’t waste it.”She also expressed her gratitude to the court for its recent ruling while emphasizing that initiating legal proceedings was not her first choice.“The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit,” she wrote, attributing her decision to what she described as “massive retaliation” for calling for a safe work environment.Prior to this, the court offered the parties the option of “settlement talks” prior to the hearing. However, talks between the two parties reportedly failed. Baldoni’s lawyer, Brian Friedman, had previously indicated that the negotiations last February were “unsuccessful.”The trial is scheduled to begin in New York City on May 18.