Tyler Perry Denies Dodging Deposition, Fires Back at Settlement Pressure Claims

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tyler Perry claims he rejected a multi-million dollar settlement offer from his accuser.
• Perry denies dodging a deposition, says he’ll answer questions on his sexuality.
• Perry seeks $7,300 sanction against accuser Mario Rodriguez over alleged discovery abuse.

Tyler Perry is pushing back against claims that he's dodging a deposition in the sexual assault lawsuit brought against him. In new court filings, Perry alleges that his accuser, Mario Rodriguez, floated a multi-million dollar settlement offer and only escalated legal action once Perry turned it down.Perry's team claims that Rodriguez is working to pressure him into settling, but the director says he won't cave. The filings are Perry's response to Rodriguez's motion seeking sanctions against Perry for allegedly failing to appear at a scheduled deposition.Rodriguez reportedly wanted to question Perry under oath about his sexuality, while Perry's team argues that this line of questioning is unrelated to the underlying assault claims. Perry himself isn't shying away from discussing his sexuality, claiming that Rodriguez holds a "backwards belief" that he should be embarrassed to answer questions about it.Perry's filing goes further, characterizing the theory behind the questions as offensive and stating that it would perpetuate a "bigoted stereotype." He claims that after he rejected the settlement offer, Rodriguez responded by filing the deposition sanctions motion as a pressure tactic designed to damage his reputation and force his hand.Now Perry wants the tables turned. He's asking the court to sanction Rodriguez to the tune of $7,300, accusing him of abusing the discovery process. The underlying case is no small matter, with Rodriguez suing Perry for $77 million, alleging sexual assault that allegedly occurred at Perry's home on multiple occasions.Perry has consistently and firmly denied every allegation against him, while his legal team has argued that Rodriguez only surfaced accusations once Perry stopped providing financial support to the accuser. A judge has not yet ruled on either side's motion, with both the deposition dispute and the underlying $77 million suit remaining ongoing.