Smokey Robinson was accused of sex assault in 2015, but officials had insufficient evidence for charges, DA says

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LOS ANGELES — A sexual assault allegation was made against Motown legend Smokey Robinson in 2015, but no charges were filed because of inasufficient evidence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.
The decade-old allegation, which was presented to the prosecutor's office by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, is not connected to a recent civil suit that accuses Robinson of sexual assault, attorneys for the plaintiffs in that matter said.
Robinson, 85, has not been charged with any crime and has denied any misconduct. The celebrity news website TMZ was first to report the 2015 investigation Friday.
'We discovered that our office was presented with a sexual assault allegation against Mr. Robinson in 2015 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,' the district attorney's office said in a statement Friday.
'In that matter, a declination of charges was made based on insufficient evidence,' the district attorney's office said. 'We are not able to provide further information at this time because of an ongoing law enforcement investigation.'
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that it conducted an investigation and that no charges were ever filed.
"Due to the confidential nature of the investigation, we cannot provide more information," th sheriff's department said in a statement Friday.
Earlier this month, Robinson was sued by four former housekeepers who have accused the "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" singer of sexual assault. The suit, which seeks at least $50 million, also names Robinson's wife and accused her of knowing about the allegations.
Robinson has denied the claims, and this week countersued the four women and their attorneys, alleging defamation and seeking at least $500 million.
Attorney Christopher Frost, who is representing Robinson and his wife, said his client maintains his innocence.
"One unfortunate aspect of celebrity is that it is not uncommon to be the target of spurious and unsubstantiated allegations," Frost said. "Mr. Robinson looks forward to the conclusion of the current investigation, and has no doubt that a similar determination will be reached here."
Attorneys for the women suing Robinson said Friday that the declination of the criminal case in 2015 only means there was a lack of evidence.
The person who made the allegation in 2015 is not any of the four women who are suing Robinson, according to the attorneys, John Harris and Herbert Hayden.
"The statement released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirms that charges were not filed against Mr. Robinson due to insufficient evidence — not because the claims lacked merit," Harris and Hayden said.
"This underscores the significant challenges victims face when reporting incidents of sexual assault, particularly when the alleged perpetrator is a powerful and well-known figure," they said.
On May 15, NBC News reported that Robinson is under criminal investigation, citing a law enforcement source that it did not name.
Robinson is an iconic American soul singer who has had a star-studded career spanning more than 70 years.
The recording, producing and songwriting legend was a pioneer for Motown Records, founding the vocal group the Miracles in the 1950s and later releasing albums as a solo artist and working as a record executive for the label. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com