Damon Dash avoided further legal trouble as a judge dismissed Monique Bunn’s latest attempt to reopen her failed lawsuit.
Damon Dash scored a courtroom victory in California after a federal judge refused to revive a long-running lawsuit brought by photographer Monique Bunn over the alleged misuse of her photo archive.
The judge rejected Bunn’s motion to reconsider the case, stating her latest arguments were no different from those already dismissed. The court had previously ruled that Bunn failed to prove she suffered any financial harm when items she claimed were taken were not returned.
Bunn had asked the court to overturn a jury verdict that found she was not entitled to damages. However, the judge stated that she presented no new evidence or legal basis to justify changing the outcome.
This final decision effectively renders the lawsuit dead, with no compensation awarded to Bunn.
The legal dispute began when Bunn sued Damon Dash, accusing him of improperly keeping and using over 100,000 of her photographs. She had worked on a shoot for Dash’s fashion brand and later claimed he failed to pay her and used the images without her consent.
Bunn said her portfolio included more than 250,000 images and sought $50 million in damages, estimating the value of each photo at $1,500.
Dash denied having the photos and said they were not on the CDs in question.
In 2023, a jury cleared Dash of sexual assault and conversion claims but found him liable for defamation, awarding Bunn $30,000.
Bunn later filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that Dash had acknowledged the value of the photos and that the damages were significant. The court rejected that motion, saying she failed to offer enough evidence to support her claims.
Dash and his attorney have criticized Bunn’s legal team, particularly her lawyer, Christopher Brown, who has filed multiple lawsuits against Dash in the past.
Dash is currently promoting his latest project from Freeway & The Black Guns, titled 365.
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