ADVERTISEMENT Kesha Wins Key Ruling In Dr. Luke Libel Case Law360 (June 30, 2021, 7:31 PM EDT) -- A New York state court on Wednesday sided with pop star Kesha on a key issue in a lawsuit that claims she defamed music producer Dr. Luke by accusing him of rape, ruling that the state's broad new free speech statute applies to his case. The decision to apply New York's newly enacted anti-SLAPP law means Dr. Luke will need to prove Kesha acted with "actual malice" when she allegedly accused him falsely — a rigorous standard that makes it much harder to sue for libel.