Lawsuit Against RuPaul’s Drag Race Star Shangela Dismissed
In a recent turn of events, the lawsuit against Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce, widely recognized as RuPaul’s Drag Race sensation Shangela, has been officially dismissed.
Former Drag Race production assistant, Daniel McGarrigle, has made the decision to permanently drop his lawsuit against the esteemed drag performer. The lawsuit, which sought unspecified damages, alleged various offenses including sexual assault, sexual harassment, gender violence, false imprisonment, and negligence. Daniel had previously accused Darius of rape during their time together on HBO’s We’re Here in 2020.
Documents obtained by PEOPLE reveal that the suit was dismissed “with prejudice,” signifying that it cannot be refiled at a later date.
In response to the allegations, Shangela, in a statement to PEOPLE back in May 2023, vehemently denied the claims, expressing deep hurt and disgust. He emphasized the personal offense caused by the false accusations, which he argued facilitated harmful stereotypes. “I can’t begin to explain how hurt and disgusted I am by these totally untrue allegations. They are personally offensive and perpetuate damaging stereotypes that are harmful not only to me but also to my entire community,” he wrote.
He also cited an external investigation that found the allegations baseless, labeling the lawsuit as an attempt to extort money from both him and the television company.
“An external investigation into this embittered individual’s claims previously concluded that they were completely without merit. This newest filing is nothing but an attempt to shake down both me and a well-regarded television company. No one should be fooled: it has no basis in fact or in law, and it will not succeed,” he added.
Moreover, a spokesperson for the series confirmed that a complaint was indeed filed after filming for We’re Here but stated that an internal investigation found no evidence supporting the allegations. The safety and well-being of the show’s personnel were emphasized, with Buckingham Television and HBO underscoring their commitment to addressing any concerns promptly and thoroughly.
In the spokesperson’s words, “Buckingham and HBO take the safety and well-being of personnel on our shows very seriously, and Buckingham immediately launched an investigation. The investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support these allegations.”
