Vin Diesel has been cleared of sexual battery claims filed by a former assistant Asta Jonasson related to the filming of Fast 5.
On Wednesday, November 19, the Los Angeles County Superior Court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that California law does not apply extraterritorially to the alleged incident, which reportedly took place in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2010.
“Based on an alleged violation of a California statute it fails as a matter of law because California statutes are presumed not to have extraterritorial effect unless the Legislature expressly states otherwise in adopting the statute,” the court ruling stated.
While speaking to Deadline, Matthew Hale – an attorney for Jonasson – said that the court’s decision did not address the truth of the allegations. “The ruling was based on a legal technicality, with which we respectfully disagree. Ms. Jonasson intends to appeal,” he added.
Meanwhile, Diesel’s attorney Freedman said, “We are grateful that the court put an end to this meritless lawsuit. We are pleased that this matter has been resolved entirely.”
The 58-year-old star had consistently denied the allegations by ex-assistant Asta Jonasson over the past two years. According to Jonasson’s complaint, Vin Diesel “forced himself on her” in Atlanta’s St. Regis hotel during production of Fast 5 in 2010.