Gregory Robinson
Kris Jenner and her daughters Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner appeared in court on Monday and Tuesday as Blac Chyna’s trial against the family began.
Blac Chyna, whose real name is Angela White, is suing the family for $100m (£77m) over lost earnings form the cancellation of her reality show, Rob & Chyna in which she starred alongside her ex-fiancé, Rob Kardashian, 35.
The sum is made up of $40m (£30m) for damages in lost earnings and $60 (£46m) in loss of future earning capacity damages.
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Chyna, 33, is also suing over the loss of celebrity earning power from the cancellation of the short-lived E! series, which ran for only one season in 2016.
A lawyer representing the model and influencer told the jury at the Los Angeles Superior Court that the family conspired to ruin her reputation and reality television career. The family’s reality series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, also ran on the E! network for 20 seasons.
Kim Kardashian, 41 and Kris Jenner, 66, served as producers on Rob & Chyna alongside Ryan Seacrest, who also produced Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Lawyer Lynne Ciani claimed during the opening statements in a Los Angeles court on Tuesday that Kris Jenner falsely accused Chyna of physically attacking Rob Kardashian in a bid to get their reality spin-off series cancelled.
Ciani told the jury that Kris Jenner “brought in her three daughters to accomplish that,” Sky News reports.
Michael G. Rhodes, who is serving as the defendant's lawyer claimed Chyna wanted what the Kardashians have, after describing Kim Kardashian as “one of the world’s most famous people”.
The lawyer representing the Kardashian-Jenners told the courtroom that E! cancelled Rob & Chyna after the couple broke up.
The couple met in January 2016 and announced their engagement in April. Rob & Chyna debuted in September and their child Dream Kardashian, five, was born in November of that year.
On 4th December 2016, the series was renewed for a second season but the couple were said to get into an argument that tarnished their relationship.
The events of this day will be addressed in detail throughout the case, as Chyna’s lawyer claims Kris Jenner told the head of the show that her son was beaten by Chyna and this claim was spread by Kris’ daughters to ensure the show was cancelled.
Chyna filed a lawsuit against the family, including Kourtney Kardashian, 43, and Kendall Jenner, 26, over claims of defamation and interference with loss of earnings from the show’s cancellation. Chyna also alleged that Rob was abusive, which he denied in documents obtained by The Blast.
The trial is expected to last up to 10 days.