Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff denied Kevin Hart’s request for an emergency temporary restraining order (TRO) against celebrity gossip blogger Latasha “TashaK” Kebe on Thursday, Rolling Stone reported.
The request was related to an interview Kebe conducted with Hart’s former assistant, Miesha Shakes, which Hart’s team labeled as “defamatory.” During the court hearing, Judge Beckloff highlighted a significant omission in Hart’s petition for the restraining order, filed Jan. 19. The petition lacked a transcript of the contentious interview, which spans an hour and a half and is hosted on Kebe’s website, according to the Rolling Stone.
“Part of the problem I have is that there are no direct quotes of what occurred in the hour-and-a-half interview,” Beckloff stated, according to Rolling Stone.
Kevin Hart can’t force celebrity gossip blogger Latasha “TashaK” Kebe to remove her allegedly “defamatory” interview with Hart’s ex-assistant from her website (at least not yet), a judge ruled today.
More: https://t.co/yTUiEaCZNh pic.twitter.com/Atz85OED14
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) January 25, 2024
Responding to the judge’s concerns, Hart’s lawyer, Donte Mills, acknowledged possessing the transcript but expressed hesitance to file it publicly, as the contents being made public would defeat the purpose of the TRO, according to Rolling Stone.
“There’s no questioning them. There are things said by the speakers that are illegal. It’s defamatory, it’s extortion, and it absolutely shows malice on their part,” Mills said, according to the outlet. “Not once was there ever any claim stating that my client committed a crime until this video. I think that’s important. Adultery is one thing, but adultery is not illegal.” (RELATED: Kevin Hart Plans Mid-Air Heist In New Trailer For ‘Lift’)
Despite Mills’ arguments, Judge Beckloff reportedly remained unconvinced and denied the TRO request. He advised Hart’s legal team to either submit the transcript under seal or file a separate motion for a preliminary injunction, according to the outlet. This guidance pertains to the larger legal battle Hart is engaged in, including a lawsuit filed against Shakes and Kebe in December, alleging extortion, breach of contract, invasion of privacy and defamation, the outlet noted.
The lawsuit stems from an interview with Shakes published on Kebe’s website, which Hart claims is part of a shakedown attempt, Rolling Stone reported. Additionally, Kebe is known for facing defamation allegations in the past, notably in a case involving Cardi B, resulting in a $4 million defamation verdict against her, according to the outlet.
The next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 29.