Kanye West faces motion to block mental-state defense in discrimination trial

Benjamin Provo, a former employee of Kanye West’s Donda Academy, has filed a motion asking a judge to block West from using an “unsound mind” defense in an upcoming discrimination and wrongful termination trial.

Provo, who worked at the academy in 2021, alleges he was terminated due to his dreadlocks and that West treated Black employees more harshly than White employees. West has denied these allegations. Provo’s legal team argues that West has failed to provide medical records or expert witnesses to support a mental-capacity defense and notes that during depositions, West indicated he was “close to being myself” during the period in question.

The nonjury trial is scheduled for October 12 in a Los Angeles-area court. In a separate pretrial move, West’s attorneys have attempted to exclude evidence regarding his past antisemitic social media posts, arguing they are irrelevant to the employment claims.