LOS ANGELES – A judge has dismissed a $9 million lawsuit that accused political comic Bill Maher (search) of reneging on a promise to marry a former girlfriend and support her for life, Maher's attorney said Tuesday.
A Superior Court judge on Monday threw out the palimony suit by Nancy "Coco" Johnsen (search), a former model and flight attendant who dated Maher for months, according to a joint statement from Maher's attorney Adam Streisand and publicist Cece Yorke.
The suit, which was filed in November, sought $9 million and other unspecified damages. It accuses Maher of fraud, battery and assault.
Maher filed a request to dismiss the suit later that month, claiming he was a "confirmed bachelor" and never promised to marry or support Johnsen. California law does not acknowledge her palimony allegations, his attorney argued.
Johnsen claimed in the suit that she fell in love with the HBO "Real Time" host during a relationship that began in January 2003.
She claimed Maher convinced her to quit her career and in return promised the two would marry and have children. She also claimed Maher promised to buy her the house in Beverly Hills where Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez once lived or give her money to buy a similar house.
But after quitting a job at Delta Airlines, Johnsen claims, Maher "verbally abused" her and at a party he became angry and shook her, causing back and neck injuries.
Streisand and Yorke did not return calls seeking additional comment Tuesday and an attorney for Johnsen could not immediately be located.
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