(NewsNation) — A lawsuit against multiple women who allegedly labeled a California man a “bad date” in a private Facebook group was dismissed Monday by a Los Angeles judge.
Stewart Lucas Murrey is suing more than 50 women for millions of dollars because he claims that negative stories shared about him online have damaged his reputation and defamed him, according to court documents reviewed by NBC News.
It’s a trend emerging nationwide, with men pushing back against women who are exposing their dating “red flags” on platforms like the viral and multi-city “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook group.
These women claim Murrey is attempting to intimidate them with these lawsuits. According to the judge, these women were protected under an anti-SLAPP motion, which allows people to quickly dismiss lawsuits after exercising their right to free speech.
“I shared my personal experience. Right out of the gate gave me his phone number and said let’s hang. I commented with one message saying ‘bold move’ with a happy face and then a barrage of harassing messages came afterward. So, I immediately blocked and reported him,” said Vanessa Valdez, a defendant.
Murrey told NewsNation he will “consider proper remedies” following the judge’s ruling.
In his lawsuit, Murrey claims these women circulated false statements that he’s suspected of murder and has STDs. Additionally, he claims they cyberstalked him for more than a year.
Murrey isn’t alone in taking legal action against women in the Facebook group. Earlier this year, another man in Chicago sued 27 women after they described him as “very clingy” and “a ghoster” in their posts within the Facebook group.
The “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook group claims it’s a platform that is for women helping women. It exists in several other cities including New York, Dallas, Miami, London, and Brisbane, Australia. There are *thousands of members in these groups.
NewsNation spoke to an attorney who believes many of the ongoing lawsuits will likely be dismissed.