January 17, 2008 19:11

DMX to fork out $1.5 million in defamation case

Rapper fails to defend himself in court

DMX has failed to appear in court to defend himself in a defamation case, resulting in a court order to pay $1.5 million to the mother of his child.

The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was due to appear in court to defend himself in a defamation case in which he told a magazine he was raped by Monique Wayne in a hotel room in 2003. Wayne subsequently became pregnant.

She filed a $6m lawsuit against him in October 2006.

After Simmons failed to appear, a judge ordered him to pay Wayne $1.5m in compensation and punitive penalties.

After the ruling, Wayne's lawyer, Stephanie Moran said:

"The judgment of the court speaks to the outrageousness of what Mr. Simmons said about Miss Wayne and that such false statements will not be tolerated."

--By our New York staff.
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