New York
Judge narrows Anna Netrebko lawsuit against Metropolitan Opera to gender discrimination
NEW YORK (AP) — Anna Netrebko’s lawsuit against the Metropolitan Opera was narrowed to gender discrimination claims by a federal judge, who agreed to dismiss the star soprano’s allegations of defamation, breach of contract and discrimination because of national origin.
U.S. District Judge Analisa Nadine Torres in Manhattan issued a 23-page decision Thursday in the suit, filed by Netrebko on Aug. 4 last year.
The Met dropped the Russian soprano from future engagements shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Met General Manager Peter Gelb had demanded she repudiate Russia President Vladimir Putin.
The case has not yet been scheduled for trial.
“We’re pleased to see that three of the four claims were dismissed completely and strongly believe that the fourth claim will also prove to be without merit should it go to trial,” the Met said in a statement.
The American Guild of Musical Artists filed a grievance on Netrebko’s behalf and arbitrator Howard C. Edelman ruled in February 2023 that the Met violated the union’s collective bargaining agreement when it canceled deals with Netrebko for three productions. Edelman awarded compensation the union calculated at $209,103.48.
Netrebko’s lawsuit alleged breach of additional agreements for 40 performances. Torres ruled against the singer, stating those engagements were never finalized into contracts.
In agreeing to dismiss the defamation claim, Torres wrote “Netrebko fails to allege any facts demonstrating that her statements disassociating herself from Putin’s war against Ukraine altered the Met’s subjective belief that she supported the Russian leader.” The judge also wrote the Met’s firing “does not sufficiently implicate her national origin to permit an inference of discrimination.”
On the gender discrimination, Torres allowed Netrebko to proceed with claims under the New York State Human Rights Law and New York City Human Rights Law that male counterparts she alleges had connections to Putin and the Russian government were treated more favorably by the Met. She cited bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin and baritones Igor Golovatenko and Alexey Markov, who have continued to sing at the Met.
Torres wrote the claims were plausible and denied the Met’s motion to dismiss.
Louisiana
Judge: EPA can’t use Civil Rights Act to fight environmental injustice
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge has weakened the Biden administration’s effort to use a historic civil rights law to fight industrial pollution alleged to have taken a heavier toll on minority communities in Louisiana.
U.S. District Judge James David Cain of Lake Charles handed down the ruling Thursday, permanently blocking the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing what are known as “disparate impact” requirements on the state.
Cain had already issued a temporary blocking order in January. His ruling was a victory for Louisiana officials who challenged the EPA policy, which was based on possible violations of Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act forbids anyone who receives federal funds from discriminating based on race or national origin. It’s been used in housing and transportation, but rarely on environmental matters. The EPA under President Joe Biden, however, tried to use it more aggressively.
The state sued in May 2023, a move that may have played a role in the EPA dropping an investigation into whether Louisiana officials put Black residents living in an industrial stretch of the state at increased cancer risk. The area, often referred to as “cancer alley” because of the amount of suspected cancer-causing pollution emitted there, stretches along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
In its lawsuit, the state argued that the Biden administration’s plans went beyond the scope of Title VI. The state said the EPA wrongfully targeted pollution policies that unintentionally hurt minorities communities most when the law applies only to intentional discrimination. The state also said the policy is discriminatory because it would allow regulation of pollutants based on the race of those affected. Cain agreed the EPA went too far.
While Cain’s ruling was a victory for Republican state officials — Gov. Jeff Landry, who was attorney general when the suit was filed, and his successor in that office, Elizabeth Murrill — environmental groups decried it.
“Louisiana has given industrial polluters open license to poison Black and brown communities for generations, only to now have one court give it a permanent free pass to abandon its responsibilities,” Patrice Simms of the Earthjustice organization, said in a news release.
The ruling applies only to Louisiana and can be appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
Indiana
Man, 19, convicted of killing 3 young men found dead along a path
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A 19-year-old man has been convicted in the fatal shootings of three young men whose bodies were found along a path in Indianapolis.
A Marion County jury convicted Caden Smith on Friday of three counts of murder and other charges, including robbery and dangerous possession of a firearm following a 5-day trial.
Smith, of Indianapolis, was 16 in October 2021 when a police officer found Joseph Thomas, 18, Michael James, 22, and Abdulla Mubarak, 17, shot to death on a path lined by tall grasses on Indianapolis’ south side. He was charged as an adult in the killings in November 2021.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said Monday in a statement that Smith was identified as a suspect through his communication with the three victims prior to their killings. Investigators learned Smith had taken the victims to the field to demonstrate a gun conversion device known as a “Glock switch” that can make a semi-automatic weapon fire like a machine gun.
When Smith was arrested, investigators found the murder weapon in his residence, according to the prosecutor’s office.
“Abdullah’s, Joseph’s, and Michael’s families will never be able to see them grow up and live their lives. This verdict solidifies that Smith will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the crimes he committed,” Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.
Smith’s sentencing date had not been set as of Monday morning. His attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Smith’s convictions.
Judge narrows Anna Netrebko lawsuit against Metropolitan Opera to gender discrimination
NEW YORK (AP) — Anna Netrebko’s lawsuit against the Metropolitan Opera was narrowed to gender discrimination claims by a federal judge, who agreed to dismiss the star soprano’s allegations of defamation, breach of contract and discrimination because of national origin.
U.S. District Judge Analisa Nadine Torres in Manhattan issued a 23-page decision Thursday in the suit, filed by Netrebko on Aug. 4 last year.
The Met dropped the Russian soprano from future engagements shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Met General Manager Peter Gelb had demanded she repudiate Russia President Vladimir Putin.
The case has not yet been scheduled for trial.
“We’re pleased to see that three of the four claims were dismissed completely and strongly believe that the fourth claim will also prove to be without merit should it go to trial,” the Met said in a statement.
The American Guild of Musical Artists filed a grievance on Netrebko’s behalf and arbitrator Howard C. Edelman ruled in February 2023 that the Met violated the union’s collective bargaining agreement when it canceled deals with Netrebko for three productions. Edelman awarded compensation the union calculated at $209,103.48.
Netrebko’s lawsuit alleged breach of additional agreements for 40 performances. Torres ruled against the singer, stating those engagements were never finalized into contracts.
In agreeing to dismiss the defamation claim, Torres wrote “Netrebko fails to allege any facts demonstrating that her statements disassociating herself from Putin’s war against Ukraine altered the Met’s subjective belief that she supported the Russian leader.” The judge also wrote the Met’s firing “does not sufficiently implicate her national origin to permit an inference of discrimination.”
On the gender discrimination, Torres allowed Netrebko to proceed with claims under the New York State Human Rights Law and New York City Human Rights Law that male counterparts she alleges had connections to Putin and the Russian government were treated more favorably by the Met. She cited bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin and baritones Igor Golovatenko and Alexey Markov, who have continued to sing at the Met.
Torres wrote the claims were plausible and denied the Met’s motion to dismiss.
Louisiana
Judge: EPA can’t use Civil Rights Act to fight environmental injustice
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge has weakened the Biden administration’s effort to use a historic civil rights law to fight industrial pollution alleged to have taken a heavier toll on minority communities in Louisiana.
U.S. District Judge James David Cain of Lake Charles handed down the ruling Thursday, permanently blocking the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing what are known as “disparate impact” requirements on the state.
Cain had already issued a temporary blocking order in January. His ruling was a victory for Louisiana officials who challenged the EPA policy, which was based on possible violations of Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act forbids anyone who receives federal funds from discriminating based on race or national origin. It’s been used in housing and transportation, but rarely on environmental matters. The EPA under President Joe Biden, however, tried to use it more aggressively.
The state sued in May 2023, a move that may have played a role in the EPA dropping an investigation into whether Louisiana officials put Black residents living in an industrial stretch of the state at increased cancer risk. The area, often referred to as “cancer alley” because of the amount of suspected cancer-causing pollution emitted there, stretches along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
In its lawsuit, the state argued that the Biden administration’s plans went beyond the scope of Title VI. The state said the EPA wrongfully targeted pollution policies that unintentionally hurt minorities communities most when the law applies only to intentional discrimination. The state also said the policy is discriminatory because it would allow regulation of pollutants based on the race of those affected. Cain agreed the EPA went too far.
While Cain’s ruling was a victory for Republican state officials — Gov. Jeff Landry, who was attorney general when the suit was filed, and his successor in that office, Elizabeth Murrill — environmental groups decried it.
“Louisiana has given industrial polluters open license to poison Black and brown communities for generations, only to now have one court give it a permanent free pass to abandon its responsibilities,” Patrice Simms of the Earthjustice organization, said in a news release.
The ruling applies only to Louisiana and can be appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
Indiana
Man, 19, convicted of killing 3 young men found dead along a path
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A 19-year-old man has been convicted in the fatal shootings of three young men whose bodies were found along a path in Indianapolis.
A Marion County jury convicted Caden Smith on Friday of three counts of murder and other charges, including robbery and dangerous possession of a firearm following a 5-day trial.
Smith, of Indianapolis, was 16 in October 2021 when a police officer found Joseph Thomas, 18, Michael James, 22, and Abdulla Mubarak, 17, shot to death on a path lined by tall grasses on Indianapolis’ south side. He was charged as an adult in the killings in November 2021.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said Monday in a statement that Smith was identified as a suspect through his communication with the three victims prior to their killings. Investigators learned Smith had taken the victims to the field to demonstrate a gun conversion device known as a “Glock switch” that can make a semi-automatic weapon fire like a machine gun.
When Smith was arrested, investigators found the murder weapon in his residence, according to the prosecutor’s office.
“Abdullah’s, Joseph’s, and Michael’s families will never be able to see them grow up and live their lives. This verdict solidifies that Smith will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the crimes he committed,” Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.
Smith’s sentencing date had not been set as of Monday morning. His attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Smith’s convictions.
