COURT DISMISSES DEFAMATION CLAIM AGAINST BLADES 

	The Federal District Court in Puerto Rico has dismissed the defamation suit filed by Robert Morgalo against Ruben Blades after hearing the evidence at trial.
Morgalo, who was the president of Martínez, Morgalo & Associates, LLC, had sued Blades over a May 2007 press conference in Panamá where Blades was quoted saying that he and Willie Colón had been “robbed” of their Siembra Concert fees in 2003.  Among several defenses asserted by Blades was that his statements were substantially true.

Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin decided in favor of Blades, finding that Morgalo’s company accepted Colón’s and Blades’ performance fees, used the money to pay the company’s debts without permission, and still has not paid the artists.  The Court also found that “the impact on Morgalo’s reputation in the industry would be the same.” 

In May 2007 Willie Colon sued Blades claiming Blades owed him $115,000 from the 2003 Siembra concert in Puerto Rico.  In June of 2008, Blades prevailed in proving that it was the firm of Martínez & Morgalo, acting as joint agents, that misappropriated the funds.  The Court ordered Martínez & Morgalo to pay Blades over $133,000, but this money has not been paid to Blades.  

After three years of litigation, in May of 2010, Willie Colón dismissed his claims against Blades one week before the start of trial.  Colón claimed he had arrived at an out-of-court-settlement with Robert Morgalo.   Blades never settled or paid Willie Colón any amount, but Willie Colón was ordered and paid Blades almost $10,000 in court costs.  

Morgalo’s defamation suit had been dismissed earlier, but the Court of Appeals reinstated the case finding that Morgalo should be allowed to prove his case.  Trial was finally held in February of 2013 and Morgalo refused to testify.  The Court has now dismissed the defamation claim with prejudice based on the defense of truth established by the evidence presented by Blades.   There are no current lawsuits pending against Ruben Blades. 

Attorney Pamela González, of Bufete Roberto Corretjer Piquer, represented Blades in all lawsuits.