Neil Portnow’s accuser is seeking dismissal of her sexual assault lawsuit

A musician who anonymously sued former Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow for sexual assault has asked the court to dismiss her lawsuit. The New York Times Reports. She cited her attorney’s sudden resignation and concerns that a court would grant a prosecutor’s request to reveal her identity, according to documents seen by Pitchfork.

The woman who accused Portnow of drugging and raping her in a New York hotel room in 2018 filed her federal lawsuit in November. She had named the Recording Academy as a defendant, saying the organization “knew or should have known that defendant Portnow was sexually assaulting women” and “aided and abetted Portnow’s behavior to protect her reputation.” Both Portnow and the academy denied the claims made against them.

In her motion to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit without prejudice, the woman said her attorney had told her that prosecutors would file a motion to reveal her identity and that it would likely prevail, which would cause her “potentially serious harm.” She further expressed her confusion that the attorney had simultaneously informed her that he was withdrawing from the representation. “The circumstances of this case have raised serious concerns for my safety and emotional well-being,” she wrote in the letter to the judge. “Dismissal of the case would alleviate that fear and allow me to move forward without unnecessary risk.”

Pitchfork has emailed the woman’s attorney and Neil Portnow for comment and further information. When reached by Pitchfork, a representative from the Recording Academy had no comment.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to seek support:

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

Crisis text line
Text Message: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741