According to Law360.com, ROB HALFORD’s longtime manager John Baxter has reached a settlement with JUDAS PRIEST and Rob Halford, in a $10 million breach of contract suit dismissed on Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel granted the parties’ joint motion for dismissal after they said they’d reached a settlement. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
As previously reported by Rolling Stone in November 2011 Baxter filed a lawsuit against Halford and other members of the band and its management team, alleging fraud, breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual relations – and asking for around $50 million in damages.
Baxter, who had been Halford’s personal manager since 1982 until he was fired in August 2011, claims he discovered in August that frontman Rob Halford owes him millions of dollars for contract breaches, including failure to pay commissions, salary and expenses dating back to 1992. He alleged that Halford actively misled him by saying that he was simply unable to fulfill his financial obligations to his manager, promising that he would pay Baxter when he was able.
At the time Judas Priest posted issued following statement: “There has recently been some nonsense and propaganda posted on the Internet including on Rob’s website, regarding the band and management. (Rob currently is not controlling his website and absolutely does not agree with the comments). We refuse to get drawn into any public arguments – it is below us and will be dealt with legally. The band have always jointly made any major decisions and have been with the same management team for over 25 years. Everyone knows and respects them in the music business and we have ultimate faith and trust in the way they have always guided us.”