July 3, 2025 • 21 mins
Dr. Vanessa Tyler has an in-depth conversation with one of Smokey Robinson's best friends, legendary actor and producer Leon Isaac Kennedy. They discuss the recent allegations of assault, rape and abuse brought against the iconic singer and his wife. Leon is quick to defend his friend and offers his unique insight into the case.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yea.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
He is a regular singer and soundwriter.
Speaker 3 (00:04):
He is credited with having written more than four thousand songs,
each of which I will list when he comes out.
This is his new album. It's called What the World
Needs Now. Please welcome Smokey Robinson.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
The legendary Smokey Robinson, eighty five and still going strong.
In fact, he was on Kimmel promoting a new album,
Always Lovable, Always Charming.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
We believe that mister Robinson is a serial and sick rapist.
It must be stopped.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Just stunning allegations, but one of his best friends is
here to set the record street.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
He has always conducted himself in an exemporary way. He's
been a constant professional, and he's also been a gentleman,
Vanessa kind and a gentle spirited soul to everyone.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
The allegations against an icon. Now on black Land.
Speaker 6 (01:00):
And now as a brown person, you just feel so invisible.
Speaker 7 (01:05):
Where we're from, Brothers and sisters.
Speaker 6 (01:08):
I welcome you to this joyful and day and we
celebrate freedom.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Where we are.
Speaker 6 (01:15):
I know someone heard something and where we're going.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
We the people means all the people.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
The Black Information Network presents Blackland with your host Vanessa Tyler.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
We hear about Diddy, r Kelly, even Bill Cosby. Still
it was a shock to hear allegations against Smokey. His
former maids came forward in a dramatic news conference, masks
and sunglasses on their faces, and stood in solidarity as
their lawyers did the talking. One man who doesn't believe
it and says it is not true is Smokey's best friend,
(01:50):
a Hollywood legend himself, actor and producer Leon Isaac Kennedy.
Thank you so much for joining.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Me Vanessa's It's my extreme pleasure to be with you,
and thank you for fitting me into your busy schedule.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Let's get right to it. You don't believe these detailed
allegations of assault, rape.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Abuse, Absolutely not, and they're totally out of the character
and out of the nature of a Smoky Robinson.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
It certainly doesn't sound like Smoky. But at a California
news conference in May, a pair of attorneys did not
describe a soft spoken crooner with those dreamy, golden green eyes.
They described a monster.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Good afternoon, Thank you for coming here today. My name
is John Harris, and this is my partner, Herbert Hayden,
with the firm of Harrison Hayden. Three of our four
clients are present here today. They if I've been identified
as Jane Doles. There's one appearing remotely who you can
(02:57):
probably see on the screen to announce that. Earlier today
in Los Angeles Superior Court, we found a complaint against
William Smokey Robinson Junior and his spouse, Francis Robinson.
Speaker 8 (03:15):
We believe she was aware of the misconduct by her husband,
Smokey Robinson, and that.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
She used.
Speaker 8 (03:24):
Their status, as well as the our client's reliance on
their living wage, in order to keep them in check.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
The principal causes of action against mister Robinson, in particular
our sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, and creating
a hostile work environment. We're seeking damages of fifty million dollars. Obviously,
(03:57):
no amount of money can compensate these these women for
what mister Robinson subjected them to.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
That hit like a bomb on fans and friends alike,
which brings us back to Smokey's best friend of more
than fifty years again, Leon Isaac Kennedy has been to
Smokey's homes so many times. If there was anything to this,
he would have picked up on it. And you know
who these women are. You've seen them.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
Absolutely, they're not Jane does to me. I know them
on a first name basis. I know their families. I
was around when they were first hired. And it's just absurd.
If you really break down the accusations and put just
common sense into these accusations, it makes no sense at all.
(04:45):
And I can break it down any way you want.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Yeah, please do break it down.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
Sure, So let's talk about rape for a moment. Rape
is a very violent act, and once again to me,
it's certainly is the antithesis of Smokey's character. But for example,
when the lawyer said, well, Smokey walked into the blue
bedroom naked with an erection, and he laid a towel
(05:14):
down on the bed and summoned the maid to go
and get on the bed, you know, that sounds more
like something out of a romantic novel. That doesn't sound
like a rape. A rape is usually a sudden action
and taking somebody by surprise, and it's a violent and
wild action. So that made no sense to me.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
The lawyer has really detailed these alleged encounters, including the
horrors in that so called blue bedroom.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Our four clients have a common thread. They're Hispianic women
who were employed as housekeepers by the Robinsons, earning below
minimum wage. As low wage workers in vulnerable positions, they
lack the resources and options necessary to protect themselves from
(06:10):
sexual assaults throughout their tenure as employees for the Robinsons.
Let me briefly summarize each of their individual claims. I
will not, I repeat, I will not describe the details
of the sexual assaults and rapes because they're too graphic
and disturbing for this news conference, but you can read
(06:35):
them in the complaints that we have provided with many
of you today. Just talk about Jane Dole number one.
She worked for the Robinsons for a little over year,
from January twenty twenty three to February twenty four. Mister
Robinson first sexually assaulted and raped her in March of
(06:57):
twenty three. Detailed in the complaint, what he would do
would summons her to his blue bedroom, which you'll probably
be hearing about later on, after having just showered. He
would come out of the adjoining bathroom naked and proceed
(07:18):
to force her to have sex with him against her will.
He sexually assaulted and raped her in this manner seven times.
She quit in February twenty twenty four because she could
no longer endure these sexual assaults. Jane Doe number two
(07:40):
she worked from the Robinsons from May twenty fourteen to
February twenty twenty. M Smoking Robinson's modus operendi was somewhat
different with her. He would ask her to meet him
in areas in the home where there were no cameras.
There were two such places or areas in their Chatsworth home,
(08:02):
the garage in the laundry room. M When she would
meet him at this location, he would immediately begin to
sexually assault and rape her, causing her excruciating pain. He
sexually assaulted and raped her in this manner twenty three times.
(08:23):
She was forced to resign because she too could no
longer endure mister Robinson's sexual assaults.
Speaker 7 (08:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Jane Doe number three she worked for the Robinsons as
a housekeeper from February twenty twelve to April twenty twenty four.
Her story is quite similar to the others. Mister Robinson
would call her into his blue bedroom where he would
secually assault and rape her. This occurred approximately twenty times,
(08:55):
and like the others, she quit in April twenty two,
twenty four, be due to the repeated sexual assaults against her.
Jane Dome number four. She worked the longest for the
as a housekeeper for the Robinsons from October twenty, two
(09:16):
thousand and six to April twenty twenty four. He raped
her in three of their homes, namely the Chatsworth Home,
the Las Vegas home, and the Bell Canyon homes. He
had her preoccupation of following her breast and touching her
all over a body against her will. She too quit
(09:40):
in April of twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Four horrific allegations. But again it does not make sense
to Smokey's friend lyon.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
Also to say that this same situation happened seven times
with this first Jane Doe. First of all, Vanessa, there
was never just one maid at the household. There were two, three,
four maids working simultaneously. So if you're being raped, can
(10:07):
you not holler? Can you not fight? Somebody would hear you.
And it also makes no sense that you would keep
coming back to the scene of the violation. Why would
you ever go back into that bedroom again with this
man and be along with him when other people were
(10:28):
in the household.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
But it seems that the attorneys tried to explain that
one away by saying they desperately need the needed the
money for themselves and their families.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
Okay, well that makes no sense either than essa, because
let's just put common sense on this. The same attorney
went on to say, and these women were taking advantage
of because they were paid below minimum wage, which is
not true. But let's just take what he said. They
were paid below minimum wage. Now, I'll flip this. If
(10:59):
you were paid thousands and thousands of dollars beyond what
the normal payscale would be, then maybe you would put
up with this type of absurd atrocity and violations. But
you mean to tell me that you're going to be
raped seven times, twenty three times twenty times for minimum
wage in southern California when you can go out and
(11:20):
get any job at minimum wage in southern California. Makes
absolutely no sense at all.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
In the complaint, there were also allegations the women were
worried about their immigration status, something they claim the Robinsons
held over their heads.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
As I said before, these women were all low wage
earners living from paycheck to paycheck. They all feared missing
a payday, in not being able to pay their rent
or buy food for their families. Also, Smoky's Robinson's celebrity
status intimidated them and all made them feel powerless.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Leon Isaac Kennedy says he's not naive. He knows Hollywood
has an abusive predatory side. If his name sounds familiar,
we know him from a string of movies, especially the
nineteen seventy nine blaxploitation film Penitentiary. Here is Leon in
the leading role as the prisoner. Too sweet.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
You you set this whole thing up, and then, like
the coward you are, you stood back and let your
crazy fools do your dirty work.
Speaker 7 (12:33):
Seldom you call the lieutenant and you tell him if
he wants rumble, we'll give him rumble.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Now he's fighting for a friend and fighting against what
he sees is happening way too often.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
When it comes to the Me Too movement, certainly there
was a need to correct some things. I think that
women are one of God's greatest creations. I think that
women have been suppressed for far too long in this
American society. It was not so long ago where women
(13:12):
were just possessions. They could not vote. If property was
passed down, it went to the sun, not to them.
As recently, in the nineteen fifties, women could not even
have a credit card without their husband either being on
it or approving something. But now the pendulum has swung
(13:35):
way too far and these shakedowns have become what I
would call a cottage industry, where there are opportunists coming
against rich men hoping to get some money, and opportunist
attorneys hoping to have a payday.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Bottom line, he says, this is a shakedown, lain and simple.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
They didn't even go to the police. Lawyers didn't go
to the police. What did they do. They asked for
one hundred million dollars, then when they were told no,
fifty million, then twenty million, then ten million, and then
when they were still told no, they bounced it back
up to fifty million and said, well, we'll hold a
(14:18):
public press conference. It's a shakedown, it's extortion. These women
were treated as family. Now, when I would be over there,
it was a cheerful working atmosphere that women were smiling
and singing and just having, you know, a regular peaceful day. Also, Vanessa,
(14:40):
let me say this for the past several decades i've
been in ministry, I've had to console a lot of individuals,
women and men that have gone through rape experiences or
molustation and so on and so forth. You don't go
through something like this and remain the same. It affects
(15:02):
your demeanor, It affects your outlook. Some people go into depression,
some people go into just almost a fearful mode. There
was none of this evidence in these women.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
When was the last time you spoke with Smoky?
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Well, he and I talk all the time, So I
spoke to him as recently as Monday when we were
looking at the basketball playoffs.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
How was he doing in light of all of this?
Speaker 5 (15:33):
I would say this, he and Francis are doing the
best that they can. Something like this is devastating, something
like this is life changing. Something like this, even when
you're proven innocent, you'll never be the same because you'll
never be looked at the same. Vanessa, there's still going
(15:54):
to be that underlying lingering. Yeah, well he was found
not but what if he did do it. This is
the man that has been under the scrutiny of the
spotlight of media since he was eighteen years old, and
to put that in proper perspective, since Eisenhower was president
(16:16):
all the way through to now Trump being president. What
have we heard about Smokey? Have we heard him in scandals?
Have we heard about him being in anger management?
Speaker 4 (16:28):
That's what angers him the most. His best friend, like
a big brother, is now breaking news.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Smokey Robinson now being criminally investigated, criminally investigated by the
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for allegations of sexual assault.
This is coming one week after Robinson was sued by
four former housekeepers who les she repeatedly abused them for years.
NBC's Dana Griffin joins us tonight from LA with the
latest data. This just took a very very big turn
(16:55):
for Smokey Robinson and his wife. What do we know
about this investigation?
Speaker 6 (16:59):
Absolutely very disturbing as well, tom So. These disturbing allegations
were first brought to light last week when those four
former housekeepers filed a lawsuit alleging that for years Smokey
Robinson either raped or sexually assaulted them while in his
home here in Los Angeles County.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
The police are now involved in investigation under way.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
We believe that mister Robinson is a serial and sick
rapist that must be stopped. Our clients, these four courageous
women want and demand justice for themselves, and the filing
of this lawsuit is the first step of their journey
to achieve that objective.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Smokey Robinson is countersuing for defamation. Leon thinks that will
mostly be symbolic, since a judgment in his favor likely
won't yield any money, certainly not millions.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
It's an epidemic. Most of these cases are not even
talked about because when people do the math and they
go to their attorney and they say, hey, these charges
are being brought against me, I'm completely innocent. What should
we do. By the time the attorney says, well, you know,
for me to fight this, it's going to cost x
(18:14):
amount of dollars, and usually the nest of those dollars
are in the millions by the time you get to court,
and your reputation has already been ruined before you even
get to court. Usually they'll come up with, you know,
it's cheaper by the math, and it's better for your
career or your corporate position, or whatever the hell with it,
(18:35):
just go ahead and pay them. I know it's not
right but just go ahead and pay them off. And
people are counting on that, and it's happening every single week.
It's in an epidemic proportion.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Why didn't Smokey, you know, settle for that very reasoning
that we just discussed for the fifty million or ten million,
which was the lowest price.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Well, ten million dollars is still a lot of money, Vanessa,
when you're not guilty, and he just said, no, I'm
not going to do this, and if we have to
fight the then so be it.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
It takes a lot out of a person. And like
you mentioned, his age, is he able to fight this, well,
he has.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
No choice but to fight it. And as you said,
at eighty five years old, it's a tragedy that he
and Francis have to go through something like that at
this point in their life. But unfortunately, the law and
the pendulum has swung, as I said, too far. And
this is what a lot of people are having to
(19:41):
put up with.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
What do you think his fans should do?
Speaker 5 (19:44):
Well, thank god, the fans are still showing up at
the concerts. The promoters have not canceled concerts, and he's
been shown love every single place that he goes.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Not everyone has been as supportive that new album Smokey
is promoting, titled What the World Needs Now. Leon says
the promotion has been cut back. Smokey was doing a
press tour before this news broke, like that appearance on
Jimmy Kimmellive, and here is Smokey before the allegations on today.
Smokey is so good to see.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Welcome.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
Let's see you guys too, Welcome, Yeah, doing it so
talk about the new album and the choices you made
for these songs. But it's actually an inspirational album. It's
not spiritual or anything. It's inspirational. All the songs are
inspirational songs to try to give people inspiration. And no
question about it. Eh, if there's anything the will needs
(20:44):
out in his love, he is caring about each other,
you know.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
So what are the consequences for ruining a person's life
and legacy? What are the consequences against attorneys who take
flimsy cases without doing a lot of fact checking, knowing
that these cases don't hold enough water. But yet they
get a notoriety for taking a case like this, and boy,
(21:09):
if they get paid off, it's a nice payday. There's
got to be some consequences going into the future with
these type of things.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Wow, leon Isaac Kennedy, thank you so much for speaking
up about your friend.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
Thank you so much for allowing me to spend this
time with you.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
The police investigation continues. I'm Vanessa Tyler. Join me next
time on Blackland. There will be a new episode every week.
Yea.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
He is a regular singer and soundwriter.
Speaker 3 (00:04):
He is credited with having written more than four thousand songs,
each of which I will list when he comes out.
This is his new album. It's called What the World
Needs Now. Please welcome Smokey Robinson.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
The legendary Smokey Robinson, eighty five and still going strong.
In fact, he was on Kimmel promoting a new album,
Always Lovable, Always Charming.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
We believe that mister Robinson is a serial and sick rapist.
It must be stopped.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Just stunning allegations, but one of his best friends is
here to set the record street.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
He has always conducted himself in an exemporary way. He's
been a constant professional, and he's also been a gentleman,
Vanessa kind and a gentle spirited soul to everyone.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
The allegations against an icon. Now on black Land.
Speaker 6 (01:00):
And now as a brown person, you just feel so invisible.
Speaker 7 (01:05):
Where we're from, Brothers and sisters.
Speaker 6 (01:08):
I welcome you to this joyful and day and we
celebrate freedom.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Where we are.
Speaker 6 (01:15):
I know someone heard something and where we're going.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
We the people means all the people.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
The Black Information Network presents Blackland with your host Vanessa Tyler.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
We hear about Diddy, r Kelly, even Bill Cosby. Still
it was a shock to hear allegations against Smokey. His
former maids came forward in a dramatic news conference, masks
and sunglasses on their faces, and stood in solidarity as
their lawyers did the talking. One man who doesn't believe
it and says it is not true is Smokey's best friend,
(01:50):
a Hollywood legend himself, actor and producer Leon Isaac Kennedy.
Thank you so much for joining.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Me Vanessa's It's my extreme pleasure to be with you,
and thank you for fitting me into your busy schedule.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Let's get right to it. You don't believe these detailed
allegations of assault, rape.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Abuse, Absolutely not, and they're totally out of the character
and out of the nature of a Smoky Robinson.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
It certainly doesn't sound like Smoky. But at a California
news conference in May, a pair of attorneys did not
describe a soft spoken crooner with those dreamy, golden green eyes.
They described a monster.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Good afternoon, Thank you for coming here today. My name
is John Harris, and this is my partner, Herbert Hayden,
with the firm of Harrison Hayden. Three of our four
clients are present here today. They if I've been identified
as Jane Doles. There's one appearing remotely who you can
(02:57):
probably see on the screen to announce that. Earlier today
in Los Angeles Superior Court, we found a complaint against
William Smokey Robinson Junior and his spouse, Francis Robinson.
Speaker 8 (03:15):
We believe she was aware of the misconduct by her husband,
Smokey Robinson, and that.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
She used.
Speaker 8 (03:24):
Their status, as well as the our client's reliance on
their living wage, in order to keep them in check.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
The principal causes of action against mister Robinson, in particular
our sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, and creating
a hostile work environment. We're seeking damages of fifty million dollars. Obviously,
(03:57):
no amount of money can compensate these these women for
what mister Robinson subjected them to.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
That hit like a bomb on fans and friends alike,
which brings us back to Smokey's best friend of more
than fifty years again, Leon Isaac Kennedy has been to
Smokey's homes so many times. If there was anything to this,
he would have picked up on it. And you know
who these women are. You've seen them.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
Absolutely, they're not Jane does to me. I know them
on a first name basis. I know their families. I
was around when they were first hired. And it's just absurd.
If you really break down the accusations and put just
common sense into these accusations, it makes no sense at all.
(04:45):
And I can break it down any way you want.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Yeah, please do break it down.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
Sure, So let's talk about rape for a moment. Rape
is a very violent act, and once again to me,
it's certainly is the antithesis of Smokey's character. But for example,
when the lawyer said, well, Smokey walked into the blue
bedroom naked with an erection, and he laid a towel
(05:14):
down on the bed and summoned the maid to go
and get on the bed, you know, that sounds more
like something out of a romantic novel. That doesn't sound
like a rape. A rape is usually a sudden action
and taking somebody by surprise, and it's a violent and
wild action. So that made no sense to me.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
The lawyer has really detailed these alleged encounters, including the
horrors in that so called blue bedroom.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Our four clients have a common thread. They're Hispianic women
who were employed as housekeepers by the Robinsons, earning below
minimum wage. As low wage workers in vulnerable positions, they
lack the resources and options necessary to protect themselves from
(06:10):
sexual assaults throughout their tenure as employees for the Robinsons.
Let me briefly summarize each of their individual claims. I
will not, I repeat, I will not describe the details
of the sexual assaults and rapes because they're too graphic
and disturbing for this news conference, but you can read
(06:35):
them in the complaints that we have provided with many
of you today. Just talk about Jane Dole number one.
She worked for the Robinsons for a little over year,
from January twenty twenty three to February twenty four. Mister
Robinson first sexually assaulted and raped her in March of
(06:57):
twenty three. Detailed in the complaint, what he would do
would summons her to his blue bedroom, which you'll probably
be hearing about later on, after having just showered. He
would come out of the adjoining bathroom naked and proceed
(07:18):
to force her to have sex with him against her will.
He sexually assaulted and raped her in this manner seven times.
She quit in February twenty twenty four because she could
no longer endure these sexual assaults. Jane Doe number two
(07:40):
she worked from the Robinsons from May twenty fourteen to
February twenty twenty. M Smoking Robinson's modus operendi was somewhat
different with her. He would ask her to meet him
in areas in the home where there were no cameras.
There were two such places or areas in their Chatsworth home,
(08:02):
the garage in the laundry room. M When she would
meet him at this location, he would immediately begin to
sexually assault and rape her, causing her excruciating pain. He
sexually assaulted and raped her in this manner twenty three times.
(08:23):
She was forced to resign because she too could no
longer endure mister Robinson's sexual assaults.
Speaker 7 (08:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Jane Doe number three she worked for the Robinsons as
a housekeeper from February twenty twelve to April twenty twenty four.
Her story is quite similar to the others. Mister Robinson
would call her into his blue bedroom where he would
secually assault and rape her. This occurred approximately twenty times,
(08:55):
and like the others, she quit in April twenty two,
twenty four, be due to the repeated sexual assaults against her.
Jane Dome number four. She worked the longest for the
as a housekeeper for the Robinsons from October twenty, two
(09:16):
thousand and six to April twenty twenty four. He raped
her in three of their homes, namely the Chatsworth Home,
the Las Vegas home, and the Bell Canyon homes. He
had her preoccupation of following her breast and touching her
all over a body against her will. She too quit
(09:40):
in April of twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Four horrific allegations. But again it does not make sense
to Smokey's friend lyon.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
Also to say that this same situation happened seven times
with this first Jane Doe. First of all, Vanessa, there
was never just one maid at the household. There were two, three,
four maids working simultaneously. So if you're being raped, can
(10:07):
you not holler? Can you not fight? Somebody would hear you.
And it also makes no sense that you would keep
coming back to the scene of the violation. Why would
you ever go back into that bedroom again with this
man and be along with him when other people were
(10:28):
in the household.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
But it seems that the attorneys tried to explain that
one away by saying they desperately need the needed the
money for themselves and their families.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
Okay, well that makes no sense either than essa, because
let's just put common sense on this. The same attorney
went on to say, and these women were taking advantage
of because they were paid below minimum wage, which is
not true. But let's just take what he said. They
were paid below minimum wage. Now, I'll flip this. If
(10:59):
you were paid thousands and thousands of dollars beyond what
the normal payscale would be, then maybe you would put
up with this type of absurd atrocity and violations. But
you mean to tell me that you're going to be
raped seven times, twenty three times twenty times for minimum
wage in southern California when you can go out and
(11:20):
get any job at minimum wage in southern California. Makes
absolutely no sense at all.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
In the complaint, there were also allegations the women were
worried about their immigration status, something they claim the Robinsons
held over their heads.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
As I said before, these women were all low wage
earners living from paycheck to paycheck. They all feared missing
a payday, in not being able to pay their rent
or buy food for their families. Also, Smoky's Robinson's celebrity
status intimidated them and all made them feel powerless.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Leon Isaac Kennedy says he's not naive. He knows Hollywood
has an abusive predatory side. If his name sounds familiar,
we know him from a string of movies, especially the
nineteen seventy nine blaxploitation film Penitentiary. Here is Leon in
the leading role as the prisoner. Too sweet.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
You you set this whole thing up, and then, like
the coward you are, you stood back and let your
crazy fools do your dirty work.
Speaker 7 (12:33):
Seldom you call the lieutenant and you tell him if
he wants rumble, we'll give him rumble.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Now he's fighting for a friend and fighting against what
he sees is happening way too often.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
When it comes to the Me Too movement, certainly there
was a need to correct some things. I think that
women are one of God's greatest creations. I think that
women have been suppressed for far too long in this
American society. It was not so long ago where women
(13:12):
were just possessions. They could not vote. If property was
passed down, it went to the sun, not to them.
As recently, in the nineteen fifties, women could not even
have a credit card without their husband either being on
it or approving something. But now the pendulum has swung
(13:35):
way too far and these shakedowns have become what I
would call a cottage industry, where there are opportunists coming
against rich men hoping to get some money, and opportunist
attorneys hoping to have a payday.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Bottom line, he says, this is a shakedown, lain and simple.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
They didn't even go to the police. Lawyers didn't go
to the police. What did they do. They asked for
one hundred million dollars, then when they were told no,
fifty million, then twenty million, then ten million, and then
when they were still told no, they bounced it back
up to fifty million and said, well, we'll hold a
(14:18):
public press conference. It's a shakedown, it's extortion. These women
were treated as family. Now, when I would be over there,
it was a cheerful working atmosphere that women were smiling
and singing and just having, you know, a regular peaceful day. Also, Vanessa,
(14:40):
let me say this for the past several decades i've
been in ministry, I've had to console a lot of individuals,
women and men that have gone through rape experiences or
molustation and so on and so forth. You don't go
through something like this and remain the same. It affects
(15:02):
your demeanor, It affects your outlook. Some people go into depression,
some people go into just almost a fearful mode. There
was none of this evidence in these women.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
When was the last time you spoke with Smoky?
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Well, he and I talk all the time, So I
spoke to him as recently as Monday when we were
looking at the basketball playoffs.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
How was he doing in light of all of this?
Speaker 5 (15:33):
I would say this, he and Francis are doing the
best that they can. Something like this is devastating, something
like this is life changing. Something like this, even when
you're proven innocent, you'll never be the same because you'll
never be looked at the same. Vanessa, there's still going
(15:54):
to be that underlying lingering. Yeah, well he was found
not but what if he did do it. This is
the man that has been under the scrutiny of the
spotlight of media since he was eighteen years old, and
to put that in proper perspective, since Eisenhower was president
(16:16):
all the way through to now Trump being president. What
have we heard about Smokey? Have we heard him in scandals?
Have we heard about him being in anger management?
Speaker 4 (16:28):
That's what angers him the most. His best friend, like
a big brother, is now breaking news.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Smokey Robinson now being criminally investigated, criminally investigated by the
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for allegations of sexual assault.
This is coming one week after Robinson was sued by
four former housekeepers who les she repeatedly abused them for years.
NBC's Dana Griffin joins us tonight from LA with the
latest data. This just took a very very big turn
(16:55):
for Smokey Robinson and his wife. What do we know
about this investigation?
Speaker 6 (16:59):
Absolutely very disturbing as well, tom So. These disturbing allegations
were first brought to light last week when those four
former housekeepers filed a lawsuit alleging that for years Smokey
Robinson either raped or sexually assaulted them while in his
home here in Los Angeles County.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
The police are now involved in investigation under way.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
We believe that mister Robinson is a serial and sick
rapist that must be stopped. Our clients, these four courageous
women want and demand justice for themselves, and the filing
of this lawsuit is the first step of their journey
to achieve that objective.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Smokey Robinson is countersuing for defamation. Leon thinks that will
mostly be symbolic, since a judgment in his favor likely
won't yield any money, certainly not millions.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
It's an epidemic. Most of these cases are not even
talked about because when people do the math and they
go to their attorney and they say, hey, these charges
are being brought against me, I'm completely innocent. What should
we do. By the time the attorney says, well, you know,
for me to fight this, it's going to cost x
(18:14):
amount of dollars, and usually the nest of those dollars
are in the millions by the time you get to court,
and your reputation has already been ruined before you even
get to court. Usually they'll come up with, you know,
it's cheaper by the math, and it's better for your
career or your corporate position, or whatever the hell with it,
(18:35):
just go ahead and pay them. I know it's not
right but just go ahead and pay them off. And
people are counting on that, and it's happening every single week.
It's in an epidemic proportion.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Why didn't Smokey, you know, settle for that very reasoning
that we just discussed for the fifty million or ten million,
which was the lowest price.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Well, ten million dollars is still a lot of money, Vanessa,
when you're not guilty, and he just said, no, I'm
not going to do this, and if we have to
fight the then so be it.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
It takes a lot out of a person. And like
you mentioned, his age, is he able to fight this, well,
he has.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
No choice but to fight it. And as you said,
at eighty five years old, it's a tragedy that he
and Francis have to go through something like that at
this point in their life. But unfortunately, the law and
the pendulum has swung, as I said, too far. And
this is what a lot of people are having to
(19:41):
put up with.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
What do you think his fans should do?
Speaker 5 (19:44):
Well, thank god, the fans are still showing up at
the concerts. The promoters have not canceled concerts, and he's
been shown love every single place that he goes.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Not everyone has been as supportive that new album Smokey
is promoting, titled What the World Needs Now. Leon says
the promotion has been cut back. Smokey was doing a
press tour before this news broke, like that appearance on
Jimmy Kimmellive, and here is Smokey before the allegations on today.
Smokey is so good to see.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Welcome.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
Let's see you guys too, Welcome, Yeah, doing it so
talk about the new album and the choices you made
for these songs. But it's actually an inspirational album. It's
not spiritual or anything. It's inspirational. All the songs are
inspirational songs to try to give people inspiration. And no
question about it. Eh, if there's anything the will needs
(20:44):
out in his love, he is caring about each other,
you know.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
So what are the consequences for ruining a person's life
and legacy? What are the consequences against attorneys who take
flimsy cases without doing a lot of fact checking, knowing
that these cases don't hold enough water. But yet they
get a notoriety for taking a case like this, and boy,
(21:09):
if they get paid off, it's a nice payday. There's
got to be some consequences going into the future with
these type of things.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Wow, leon Isaac Kennedy, thank you so much for speaking
up about your friend.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
Thank you so much for allowing me to spend this
time with you.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
The police investigation continues. I'm Vanessa Tyler. Join me next
time on Blackland. There will be a new episode every week.
Host
Vanessa Tyler
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