Overview

• James Vituscka filed a sworn declaration confirming he mistakenly wrote that Blake Lively was “sexually assaulted” and that publicist Leslie Sloane never made that statement.
• Leslie Sloane sought dismissal from the suit, and her lawyers say the reporter’s admission proves the defamation claim against her was baseless.
• On June 3, Judge Lewis Liman granted Lively’s request to dismiss her emotional distress claims without prejudice, barring her from presenting related evidence at trial.
• Justin Baldoni’s countersuit alleged Sloane spearheaded a smear campaign against him, with his team citing the misquoted text as proof of reputational harm.
• The dispute, which began in December 2024 and has already seen several claims tossed, is set to continue through 2026 as both sides press remaining allegations.