Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has dismissed a sexual harassment and wrongful termination lawsuit that electric violinist Brian King Joseph filed against actor Will Smith and his management company, Treyball Studios Management. The case stemmed from an incident during Smith’s 2025 “Based on a True Story” tour, but Judge Michael Shultz ruled on May 5, 2026, that the allegations did not meet the legal standard required for a sexual harassment claim under California law.
Joseph, a finalist on the 2018 season of America’s Got Talent, alleged that during a March 2025 tour stop in Las Vegas, someone entered his hotel room while he was away. He claimed he discovered items left behind, including wipes, a beer bottle, a bottle of HIV medication belonging to another person, and a handwritten note signed by “Stone F.”
The note read, “Brian, I’ll be back… just us.” Joseph also accused the actor of “grooming” him for sexual exploitation. After reporting the incident to hotel security and Smith’s management, Joseph said he was “shamed” by tour staff and subsequently fired, being replaced before the next leg of the tour.
Judge Shultz found that the allegations were legally insufficient because they did not describe conduct that was “severe or pervasive” enough to alter the conditions of employment and create an abusive work environment.
The judge also noted that Joseph himself had left his hotel key card unattended in a shared crew van for several hours, making it impossible to determine who entered his room or to link the intrusion to Smith or his team. Joseph’s retaliation and wrongful termination claims were dismissed alongside the harassment allegations for lack of evidence.
Despite the dismissal, the case was closed “with leave to amend,” giving Joseph a 30‑day window to revise and refile his complaint with additional evidence or legal arguments that address the court’s concerns. If no amended complaint is submitted within that window, the dismissal will become permanent. Representatives for Will Smith have not publicly commented on the ruling, but they previously called Joseph’s claims “false, baseless, and reckless.”
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