Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty
The showdown between Blac Chyna and the Kardashian-Jenner clan has begun as the reality TV show family appeared in court as the defamation trial against them got underway.
According to reports, Kim Kardashian, along with her sisters Khloe, Kourtney, and Kylie Jenner appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday and Tuesday (April 18th & 19th) to be present for jury selection and opening statements. Each of them was named as a defendant in the $100 million lawsuit by the model and former exotic dancer who claimed that they conspired to destroy her budding reality television career by working to cancel her & ex-fiancee Rob Kardashian’s E! 2016 reality show Rob & Chyna. Blac Chyna, aka Angela White, claims that the situation has cost her millions in lost revenue as media appearances dried up. She previously rejected a settlement offer.
The jury selection proved to be a turbulent one as many expressed negative opinions of the Kardashians and Blac Chyna. One potential juror was nixed according to TMZ for saying they couldn’t be impartial, stating: “I’ve seen the Kardashian sex tape.” Sixteen jurors including four alternate jurors were eventually selected, clearing the way for opening statements to be delivered. Lynne Ciani, Chyna’s lawyer, said in her opening statement: “The defendants’ illegal conduct not only cost Chyna millions and millions of dollars, their conduct was emotionally devastating to her. Kris Jenner was like a second mother to Chyna and Kim had been her BFF for years. The extreme betrayal and humiliation felt by Chyna after discovering the truth about what the defendants did to her lingers to this day.”
The trial incurred another bit of controversy as the defendants’ lawyer, Michael G. Rhodes, brought up a video showing Chyna’s mother, Tokyo Toni blasting the Kardashians on social media and claiming that she made threatening comments toward their mother, Kris Jenner. Ciani responded, “My client wants a fair trial. I already told her it was unacceptable and she can’t be in the courtroom.” Painting Blac Chyna as an opportunist, Rhodes’ opening statement directed jurors to pay attention to details regarding signed contracts. “Ms. White wanted something and I want you to search as you listen to the evidence,” Rhodes said. “She wanted to be one of them.”
Each of the sisters is expected to take the stand and testify during the ten days slated for the trial to commence, and there is the possibility that others such as producer and talk show host Ryan Seacrest will also testify in the case remotely.
