Eric Adams' sexual assault case against New York mayor is 'fictitious' and will not be settled, lawyer says

NEW YORK (WABC) — The sexual assault case against New York Mayor Eric Adams is “fictitious” and will not be settled, his lawyer insisted on Friday, whereupon the plaintiff's lawyer threatened him with a defamation suit.

Adams was working for the NYPD in the early 1990s when another Transit Bureau employee, Lorna Beach, said he sexually harassed her. Adams has denied the allegation and denied knowing Beach.

When Judge Richard Latin suggested during a virtual hearing that the case could be settled, defense attorney Alex Spiro said he does not settle “fictitious” cases.

“I'm shocked he would say something like that!” Beach's lawyer Megan Goddard responded, calling Spiro's remark “wild gaslighting.”

She said the remark could be the basis for a defamation suit, “and I will file such a suit against him for saying that,” Goddard threatened.

The hearing was intended to resolve a dispute over evidence. The defense has accused the plaintiff of failing to disclose the identities of the people Beach told about the alleged assault, descriptions of the interactions she is said to have had with Adams, or the date of the alleged assault.

“Plaintiff has continued to demonstrate a pattern of delay and obfuscation that appears to have been designed to prevent a decision on the merits,” Spiro said.

“We're not trying to hide anything,” Goddard replied. “My client doesn't know the exact date. I'm not going to pretend she does.”

Judge Latin ruled that the defense could question Beach on September 6.

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