Dr. Dre is no longer required to keep his distance from the divorce therapist suing him for $10 million over alleged harassment. A California judge ruled Tuesday that Dr. Charles Sophy failed to prove that Dre, born Andre Young, poses a threat to his physical safety. The finding meant that a prior restraining order granted on a provisional basis last month was immediately dismissed.
“The court finds the party requesting the order of protection did not sustain the applicable burden of proof and accordingly the request is denied. Any temporary restraining order earlier issued is hereby dissolved,” Los Angeles County Judge Melanie Ochoa ruled Tuesday afternoon, according to a minute order obtained by Rolling Stone.
Sophy appeared in person at the hearing and gave live testimony. Dre appeared remotely and testified over video. In a sworn statement filed Monday, Dre blasted Sophy’s Oct. 9 lawsuit and Oct. 11 restraining order application as elements of “a misguided attempt to undermine” his reputation after Dre filed a complaint against Sophy with California’s medical board last May.
In his own court filings, Sophy claimed that Dre subjected him to a “systematic and malicious” barrage of “unbearable harassment” that left him wearing a bulletproof vest and fearing for his life. He said Dre hired him in 2018 to mediate the breakdown of his decades-long marriage to his now ex-wife, Nicole Young, but then turned on him after the pair reached a settlement in late 2021. He claimed Dre launched into “a nearly year-long sustained campaign of late-night texts, threats of intimidation and violence, and homophobic rhetoric.”
Dre admitted in his Monday filing that he sent some of the texts, but he said they should be considered in the context of Sophy’s alleged actions. He then denied Sophy’s claim he sent people to Sophy’s address to intimidate him.
“In 2023, I discovered that Sophy had attempted to poison my relationship with my son, including by urging him to disclose my financial records to the media as part of his attempts to pressure me into settling my divorce on unfair terms. The text messages from 2023 that Sophy attaches to his TRO petition were sent in the context of my discovery of his malpractice and my unsuccessful attempts to have Sophy explain to me why he was undertaking these inappropriate actions,” Dre claimed in his statement.
“Sophy has accused me of sending/texting him ‘what a little bitch you are’ from a burner phone on October 9, 2024. I did not send him this text,” Dre wrote. “Sophy has accused me of having my employees or associates impersonate FBI agents, go to his gated community, and ask the security guard if they could speak to Sophy almost two years ago. I did no such thing.”
Dre included in his Monday filings a Sept. 30 police report summarizing Sophy’s allegations. The report states that Sophy told police he was “concerned for his safety because of recent events involving P. Diddy because of the violent behavior of Young’s friends.”
In a related filing Monday, Dre and his lawyer, Howard E. King, argued that Sophy’s “proof” that he feels emotional distress “consists entirely of invoking the racist caricature that depicts Black men, like Young, as inherently violent.”
“Sophy inexplicably links Young to P. Diddy – another Black man – and implies that Young’s friends, many of whom are prominent Black men, behave ‘violently’ without any evidence of violence to Sophy or anyone else,” the filing opposing the restraining order alleged. King had no immediate comment when reached Tuesday night.
“Today we watched a visibly rattled Andre Young claim that he believed Dr. Charles Sophy was still his psychiatrist when Mr. Young sent him threatening and abusive texts. We watched his counsel threaten Dr. Sophy’s career and life’s work. Mr. Young made the bare minimum appearance (by Zoom) required to support a filing that hurled ugly and unfair claims of racism at my client,” Sophy’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, said in a statement emailed to Rolling Stone. “We have always been aware that we are up against a celebrity in this matter and, while it might be easy to make those charged and disingenuous claims and amplify them, it does not change the fact that Dr. Sophy has pursued legal action solely because of Mr. Young’s consistent pattern of behavior. Dr. Sophy’s fear for his safety and the damages he has suffered are very real, more so now that the temporary relief of the TRO has lifted. We will continue to vigorously pursue the lawsuit against Mr. Young, which was not impacted by today’s ruling.”
According to his 22-page lawsuit filed Oct. 9, Sophy alleges Dre sent him an “overtly threatening” text around 10 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2023, that stated Sophy was “going to have to pay.” Sophy said he replied, “Excuse me,” and that Dre allegedly responded, “Yes you,” and, “You’re a piece of shit.”
Sophy said he tried to remain calm and responded the next day with, “Good morning I have no idea what you are referring to and would make myself available to discuss anytime. Thank you.” He says Dre responded by texting, “You fucked up!! Just so you know, I love being under estimated.”
According to the complaint, Dre sent another text on March 5, 2023, that read, “What happened Doc? I thought you wanted to talk. Cat go your tongue? You’re going to have to give me a written apology. If not, I’m moving forward. I’m not playing, trust me.”
On Aug. 4, 2023, Dre allegedly sent another text that read, “Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about you,” the lawsuit states. Sophy claims the “particularly sinister” text left him “more fearful for his life than ever before.”
“Dr. Sophy lives in constant fear. He wears a bulletproof vest anytime he steps foot outside, is afraid to leave his home and is constantly looking over his shoulder. The egregiousness of Young’s persistent harassing behavior has compelled Dr. Sophy to seek redress and protection,” the lawsuit alleges. “Nobody should have to live in constant fear. But Dr. Sophy does — ironically for no other reason than he tried to help Young to resolve his own family’s conflict.”
The lawsuit includes claims for civil harassment and threat of violence based on sexual orientation. Sophy is seeking compensatory damages of at least $10 million and punitive damages to be decided at trial.
In a statement last month, King told Rolling Stone that Dre filed his “confidential complaint” against Sophy with claims of “dereliction of duties and incredible incompetence.”
“That complaint seeks revocation of Dr. Sophy’s license to provide mental health counseling to needy patients. In gross violation of all applicable standards of care, Dr. Sophy inserted himself into a contentious divorce while he simultaneously ‘treated’ not only Mr. and Mrs. Young, but their children. He was terminated when it was revealed that he was encouraging one of their children to take sides against Mr. Young, even encouraging his son to go to the press with false allegations in order to force a financial settlement that he recommended,” King said in the statement. “Dr. Sophy has consistently rebuffed Medical Board attempts to investigate these claims, but has now filed this desperate suit while the noose of the Medical Board is tightening.”