Dov Charney Case Complicated By "Saucy" Photo Shoot

Last week, a series of texts and emails cast doubt on some of Irene Morales’s accusations against Dov Charney. And now American Apparel hopes a sexy photo shoot will discredit second Charney accuser Kimbra Lo.

Lo says that when she visited Charney’s house to interview as a photographer and model, Charney “instantly attacked” her, and “became more aggressive” when she rejected his advances. In response, American Apparel released a statement saying,

The company is in possession of love letter that Ms. Lo sent to Mr. Charney after she left the company. The company also has ‘smoking gun’ photographs undermining her false accusations of unwelcome harassment.

Now the NY Post has seen the photos — according to the paper, the “saucy snaps” depict Lo “splayed on the bed with her eyes closed and head tossed back,” among other poses. The post has also apparently seen “flirty e-mails and texts to Charney in the weeks following the steamy interview, including confessions that ‘Lolita’ was her favorite flick.” In her Today interview, Lo specifically denied ever sending Charney a “love letter,” and it’s not clear what her response will be to the alleged text and e-mails. But she’s already commented on the photo shoot: she says the photos were taken without her consent, and her lawyer adds that Charney took them specifically to discredit her if she ever accused him of harassment.

Texts and e-mails sent by Morales to Charney do appear to contradict some of her claims, and her requests of money and clothes from Charney certainly don’t help her case. But as yet, no such requests from Lo have been released, and the fact that Charney took sexy photos of her doesn’t prove he didn’t also assault her. Lo and Morales are represented by the same lawyer (a fact American Apparel mentions in its allegation that the two are part of an organized shakedown of the company), and questions about Morales will inevitably tarnish Lo, at least in the court of public opinion. But Lo’s photos aren’t the “smoking gun” the company claims, and at this point in the case, it’s worth reminding everyone that no amount of sexy photos constitutes consent to sex.

Second Accuser ‘Posed’ For American Apparel CEO [NY Post]
Kimbra Lo, Dov Charney Sexual Harassment Accuser: ‘I Was Terrified’ (VIDEO) [Huffington Post]
Sex, Lies, And The Dov Charney Lawsuit [Gawker]