The three Hollywood executives named in separate lawsuits by the man who accused director Bryan Singer of sexual assault have each made statements denying new abuse allegations, including a six-tweet burst from David Neuman, the former president of Disney TV.
Neuman fired off his tweets just a couple of hours after David Egan, his mother Bonnie and his lawyer Jeff Herman held a press conference announcing the new lawsuits. Egan, now 31, first accused Singer, the X-Men: Days of Future Past director, of plying him with drugs and alcohol and raping him at house parties in Los Angeles and Hawaii starting when he was 15.
Herman filed separate suits Monday in a Hawaii federal court against Neuman (above, right); Garth Ancier (above, center), former Fox entertainment head and The Ricki Lake Show creator; and off-broadway producer Gary Goddard (above, left), who also owns a firm that makes theme-park attractions. The lawyer said during the press conference that the men were part of a "Hollywood sex ring" -- one of many -- that took advantage of young boys looking to make it in the business.
Ancier's attorney, Louise Ann Fernandez, issued the following statement Tuesday: “All of the allegations made by the plaintiffs against Garth Ancier are demonstrably untrue, and we are confident the courts will agree when the evidence is presented. As just one of many examples, Mr. Ancier has never even visited the estate in Hawaii where the plaintiff claims to have encountered him. Mr. Ancier is grateful to his friends, family and colleagues for their support.”
Goddard's attorney said he is in China on business and will respond later, but that “based on what we have heard, the allegations are without merit.”
But Neuman spoke for himself, saying in a rapid string of six tweets:
Hey everyone: obviously I have to be talking to and through lawyers, but I just want everyone to know right now that the
— David A. Neuman (@DavidNeuman) April 22, 2014
disgusting allegations made against me are COMPLETELY FALSE. Also very shocking in that they don’t just stretch the truth, they are — David A. Neuman (@DavidNeuman) April 22, 2014
whole-cloth lies with zero basis in reality or truth. Sickening, and very evil, for anyone to lie like that, let alone in a legal document. — David A. Neuman (@DavidNeuman) April 22, 2014
Stay tuned; I will set the record straight. And thank you to the many friends who have reached out to me with messages of faith and
— David A. Neuman (@DavidNeuman) April 22, 2014
support. I deeply appreciate it.
— David A. Neuman (@DavidNeuman) April 22, 2014