Only Columbia Sussex Corporation and Columbia Sussex Management will be tried in a court of law for accusations stemming from the Paul Reder sexual abuse lawsuit.
An anonymous John Doe plaintiff has dismissed 10 of the 12 defendants in his lawsuit alleging that former Bass Camp Festival President Paul Reder trafficked and sexually abused him in incidents from 2012-2016.
Filed in a California district court on December 13, the motion to dismiss clears civil charges brought up against the companies Bass Camp Festival Inc, Bass Camp Music Inc, PR Entertainment Inc, PRE Presents LLC, and PRE Presents L.L.C. Reder himself is also off the hook, as is his sister, Phyllis Weiner, his niece, Carolyn Weiner, The Loft partner Matthew Stegemiller, and Nick Rogers, who took over as president of Bass Camp after Reder stepped down.
The charges against Columbia Sussex Corporation and Columbia Sussex Management have not been dropped, however. The companies own the Horizon Casino Resort, where the plaintiff worked as a minor after Reder had initiated a relationship with him, according to the lawsuit.
The original complaint invoked the Trafficking Victims’ Protection Act and Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act to make the case that Reder had used financial opportunities such as the casino job as leverage to coerce the plaintiff into an abusive sexual relationship. It argued that his codefendants “knew, or should have known” about his actions.
The latest court filing does not outline the plaintiff’s reasons for dismissing the charges. A spokesperson on behalf of Bass Camp Festival did not immediately respond to EDM Identity’s email asking whether Reder or any of his codefendants expect to have to testify in the proceedings regarding the claims leveled against the casino’s owners.
If you or anyone you know has experienced sexual assault at a festival or anywhere else, here are some resources for support:
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) runs the National Sexual Assault Hotline to offer support to victims and their families. Their services are free and confidential: 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673) (Available 24 hours a day by phone and by online chat.)
Relief After Violent Encounter (RAVE) is an organization that can help you find counseling and therapy after a violent encounter. RAVE also has a domestic and sexual violence Emergency Response Team which is deployed through law enforcement to provide emergency crisis intervention to victims immediately after an assault.
