The aftermath of a recent Vancouver drive-by shooting that left reality TV performer Mia Deakin hospitalized has led to a lawsuit involving three performers featured on Real Housewives of Vancouver.
In a legal document that blurs the line between reality and reality TV, Jody Claman of West Vancouver and daughter Deakin filed a defamation suit against former co-star Mary Zilba over remarks the singer made following the shooting.
Zilba’s comments were vile, vulgar, and motivated by vengeance, according to the suit.
Zilba’s statements cast Deakin as someone who associates with criminals and is involved in crime, according to the suit.
The lawsuit also alleges Zilba said Claman knew or ought to have known about her daughter’s allegedly nefarious friendships.
After being “repeatedly warned to stop,” Zilba continued to make libelous and slanderous statements about Claman and Deakin, according to the lawsuit, which also concerns comments Zilba posted to her Facebook page.
“The slander was maliciously published by the defendant with the wicked intent to harm and destroy the professional reputations of Ms. Deakin and Ms. Claman,” according to the suit.
The comments were subsequently removed from Facebook, however, Zilba added a new post Friday, letting her friends know the issue is in the hands of her lawyers.
“They are eager to take on this case,” she wrote.
There is a lengthy backstory to the acrimony between Claman and Zilba.
In 2012, Claman received a string of threatening messages from a grammar-challenged texter purporting to be a friend of Zilba.
"If you so much as say 1 thing to mary tomorrow you will regret it I promise," the party texted, according to a transcript supplied by Claman's lawyer at the time.
In a subsequent text, the friend wrote, “Sweetie crack heads have nothing to lose and can't wait to meet you . . . Good luck you couldn't keep that trap of yours shut."
The messages appeared to stem from something Claman did to Zilba during the second season of Real Housewives of Vancouver.
Claman reported the incident to police and retained a bodyguard, according to her lawyer, who spoke to the North Shore News in 2012.
