A Washington, D.C., superior court judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to pay jazz vibraphonist Chuck Redd $252,479.70 in attorneys' fees and legal costs, with payment due within 45 days. Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier issued the order Monday after dismissing the center's breach of contract lawsuit in June, finding conditions of unlawful retaliation.
Redd canceled his annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam in December after President Donald Trump's name was added to the building's facade. The Kennedy Center had accused Redd of violating a morals clause, claiming damages from lost goodwill and wasted marketing expenses, but the judge noted the free concert was ultimately canceled anyway after several artists withdrew.
Redd's attorney Lisa J. Banks called the lawsuit meritless and politically motivated. A Kennedy Center spokesperson said the organization intends to appeal. Trump's name was removed from the facade in June following a separate federal court ruling.