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NEW YORK (AP) -- A 14-year-old girl who says she was raped after an appearance on Maury Povich's television talk show can go ahead with a $25 million lawsuit against the show and its host, a Manhattan judge ruled.
State Supreme Court Justice Diane Lebedeff said the girl, who alleged that a man claiming to be the show's limousine driver raped her, had a valid claim. The judge found the girl was still under the show's travel arrangements when the alleged attack occurred.
Gary Rosen, a spokesman for the syndicated show "Maury," noted that the judge had allowed just two of the claims to survive and said: "We intend to defend against them vigorously and expect to be fully vindicated."
The girl came to New York from Texas to appear on an episode that had the theme "out-of-control teens."
The producers allegedly promised the girl's mother that if the girl appeared on the show, they would provide her with psychological counseling, time at a teen boot camp and transportation and hotel expenses.
The lawsuit, filed on the girl's behalf by her grandmother, says the show's producers told the girl on the day of the taping, December 6, 2001, that she should look and act "provocatively" and "sexually" and talk about her adult lovers.
Later, a man saying he was "Maury's limo driver" approached the girl, complimented her looks and told her he wanted to show her the town, court papers say.
He then drove her to a secluded area and raped her, according to allegations in the court papers.
Rosen, the "Maury" spokesman, said that "even if (the girl's) story is true, the fact is the alleged assailant is not employed by or associated with the Maury Povich show or any of its employees."
State Supreme Court Justice Diane Lebedeff said the girl, who alleged that a man claiming to be the show's limousine driver raped her, had a valid claim. The judge found the girl was still under the show's travel arrangements when the alleged attack occurred.
Gary Rosen, a spokesman for the syndicated show "Maury," noted that the judge had allowed just two of the claims to survive and said: "We intend to defend against them vigorously and expect to be fully vindicated."
The girl came to New York from Texas to appear on an episode that had the theme "out-of-control teens."
The producers allegedly promised the girl's mother that if the girl appeared on the show, they would provide her with psychological counseling, time at a teen boot camp and transportation and hotel expenses.
The lawsuit, filed on the girl's behalf by her grandmother, says the show's producers told the girl on the day of the taping, December 6, 2001, that she should look and act "provocatively" and "sexually" and talk about her adult lovers.
Later, a man saying he was "Maury's limo driver" approached the girl, complimented her looks and told her he wanted to show her the town, court papers say.
He then drove her to a secluded area and raped her, according to allegations in the court papers.
Rosen, the "Maury" spokesman, said that "even if (the girl's) story is true, the fact is the alleged assailant is not employed by or associated with the Maury Povich show or any of its employees."
