Actress Tiffany Haddish has responded to the child sexual abuse lawsuit recently filed against her and comedian Aries Spears.
Tiffany Haddish breaks her silence: Here’s what we know
Haddish broke her silence after being accused of grooming and molesting a teenage girl, Jane Doe, and her seven-year-old brother, John Doe.
She said that the sketch they acted in was intended to be comedic, but it “wasn’t funny at all.”
In one clip titled Through a pedophile’s eyes, Spears’s character plays a pedophile lusting after the boy. Haddish plays the boy’s mother, who leaves her child with the man.
Haddish took to her Instagram account on Monday morning. She said she was unable to speak much on the ongoing legal issue. However, the actress admitted to “deeply” regretting appearing in the sketch.
“I know people have a bunch of questions. I get it. I’m right there with you,” Haddish wrote.
In a statement to Vanity Fair, Haddish’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler, denied the claims in the lawsuit. He added that the plaintiff’s mother, Trizah Morris, has “been trying to assert these bogus claims against Ms. Haddish for several years.”
Intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negligence, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse of a minor are among the charges Haddish and Spears face. Haddish is also being sued for negligent supervision/failure to warn, breach of fiduciary duty, and constructive fraud.
They allege that Haddish was friends with their mother. Adding that the Funny or Die video featuring John Doe was published when he was too young to consent.
According to TMZ, both siblings say they have developed social disorders. John Doe claims he is so afraid of being watched or recorded he places band-aids over all the cameras on his electronics. Meanwhile, his sister’s fears have prevented her from dating.
The siblings also say their mother tried to reach a $15,000 settlement with Spears over the alleged molestation video. They are going after Haddish and Spears for damages.
Aries Spears is yet to comment on the matter.