Former Members of Group Destiny's Child Retain Houston Attorney to File Suit Against the Group

Business Wire, March 8, 2002

Entertainment Editors/Legal Writers

HOUSTON--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--March 8, 2002

Former Destiny's Child Members Fight Back

LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, expelled members from the R&B group Destiny's Child, have filed suit in a Texas Federal District Court against Beyonce Knowles, Kelendria Rowland, Michelle Williams, and Sony Music Entertainment Inc., for violation of the settlement agreement reached in the December 2000 suit over LeToya and LaTavia's wrongful expulsion from the group.

LeToya and LaTavia first filed suit after their expulsion from the group, which was precipitated by their disaffirmance of their management agreement with Beyonce's father, Mr. Matthew Knowles. This suit, which was ultimately settled, contained a "non disparagement" clause prohibiting any disparaging comments or statements being made by either party about the other. It also included a "confidentiality" clause prohibiting any comment on the settlement or the claims made by plaintiffs LeToya and LaTavia.

The former Destiny's Child members allege breach of the original settlement agreement based on numerous actions by the Defendants, which include the release of the song "Survivor," which contains disparaging statements about the former members, a lawsuit filed by Beyonce and Kelley against Ms. Luckett and Ms. Roberson in May 2001, and comments in interviews which violate confidentiality.

Although they still have litigation pending against Matthew Knowles, the duo recently retained Attorney Warren M. Fitzgerald, Jr. of Houston, Texas, as lead counsel for all causes of action. Attorney Fitzgerald recently settled major litigation against America West Airline on behalf of a quadriplegic passenger and a wrongful death case on behalf of the family of a well-known local political icon. After assuming control of Ms. Luckett and Ms. Roberson's litigation, Attorney Fitzgerald promptly moved to assert their rights of which included prosecution of the pending case against Mathew Knowles and then filing the new claim in Federal Court. Attorney Fitzgerald is confident of a successful resolution once all of the facts in the case are brought out in a court of law.

LeToya and LaTavia, now living in Atlanta, Ga., have formed a new group and are currently recording new material in an effort to rebuild their careers.