A single man who found himself on the receiving end of 50 women allegedly fabricating stories about dating him is taking legal action against them.
Stewart Lucas Murrey of Santa Monica, USA, has taken action against a Facebook group called Are We Dating The Same Guy?
The lawsuit follows allegations made by members of the group regarding Murrey's behavior on dating apps, per Indy100.
Murrey initiated legal proceedings against the group, claiming that more than 200 social media accounts had been involved in what he described as a year-long campaign to harm him.
He alleged that the defendants had posted defamatory statements about him, including sharing his pictures without consent, tracking his movements, and fabricating stories about their interactions with him.
In a statement on a GoFundMe page, Murrey said: "Some of their acts included posting my pictures without my permission, tracking my whereabouts, conspiring to harass me, fabricating entire stories, and sensationalizing their unremarkable interactions with me."
Asserting his support for safe spaces for women, Murrey criticized the group's actions, stating: "These women exploited the concept of a safe space to gossip, defame, and cyberbully anyone at whim. The acts of these defendants are hate-filled and unrelenting."
The Are We Dating The Same Guy? Facebook group allows women to share information about men they have dated or intended to date, with the aim of warning others about potential dangers.
However, Murrey's legal action challenges the group's methods, claiming they are defamatory and harmful.
In response to the lawsuit, a counter GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support the women being sued. The defendants argue that they were simply sharing truthful accounts of their experiences, expressing concerns about Murrey's behavior and background, which they claim is public information.
"It is our opinion that this plaintiff poses a legitimate danger to the women of Los Angeles. Our negative interactions with him have spanned years. We plan to finally put an end to his harassing ways once and for all," stated the defendants.
The post continued: "We plan to aggressively fight the lawsuit and hope to set a precedent by showing that these groups are made to keep women safe, that lawsuits meant to stifle free speech are not acceptable, that coming after volunteers for trying to help other women will not be tolerated, and to show that some individuals will cry 'defamation' even about true statements."
Murrey's lawsuit seeks damages of $2.6 million for emotional distress pain and suffering. However, the women being sued have vowed to vigorously contest the lawsuit.
The legal battle took its first turn on April 8 when the Superior Court of California dismissed the first case.
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