A November 2022 lawsuit accusing actor Warren Beatty of coercing a teenager into sex in 1973, when he was 35 years old, was dismissed Friday by a judge, Rolling Stone reports. The plaintiff, Kristina Charlotte Hirsch, said she was 14 or 15 at the time of the alleged abuse.
Filed under a California law that lifted statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse victims, the suit was reportedly thrown out by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Edward B. Moreton Jr. as Hirsch, whose lawyer asked to be relieved in July, failed to replace him.
The complaint alleged Beatty “used his position and status as an adult and a Hollywood movie star to coerce sexual contact with plaintiff on multiple occasions, including oral sex, simulated sex and … coerced sexual intercourse with the minor child.”
According to the suit, “As a direct result of the molestation by defendant Doe, plaintiff has had issues with her personal life, such as issues with trust and control. These feelings have caused plaintiff substantial emotional distress, guilt, anxiety, nervousness and fear.”
In an interview, Hirsch said several setbacks hampered her quest to find an attorney. She claimed in a court filing she was attacked in August by meth addicts in Santa Monica, and she had to defend herself with a knife. Police detained her, and she was released from jail five days later.
Hirsch — whose former lawyer Michael Reck reportedly hired an investigator to substantiate her allegations and consulted a mental health professional who concluded they were “reasonable and meritorious” — wasn’t satisfied with her representation.
She claimed in court filings that her attorneys suggested she accept a settlement of $130,000 but that she wanted to pursue legal action instead. Moreton noted Friday that Beatty had not been served with the complaint.
The suit was dismissed with prejudice and is thus unable to be refiled.
Need help? Visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.