It’s been over a month since adult actress August Ames committed suicide at 23 years-old. Now her widower, Kevin Moriarty, is taking legal action.
According to documents acquired by The Blast, Moriarty and Ames’ estate filed a $5 million claim against the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office, claiming they “released confidential and private information regarding the death of Mercedes Grabowski (Ames’ real name) to media outlets.”
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“The information released was not part of the documents associated with any medical reports or public documents but was instead salacious personal information including but not limited to method of death, the location of death, the existence of a written communication by Mercedes Grabowski and the contents of the written communication by Mercedes Grabowski,” the claim read.
Ames reportedly took her life after being the victim from cyberbullying, both from fans and from other members of the adult film industry. According to The Blast, Moriarty claims the information of Ames’ suicide being release to the public cause him emotional distress resulting in medical visits.
If Moriarty, Ames’ estate and the county are unable to come to a financial agreement, a lawsuit will likely follow.
Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia in Canda, Ames began her adult film career in 2013. She went on to appear in nearly 300 films, earning multiple AVN Award nominations and acquiring a large fanbase.
Ames was found hanging in a public park in Camarillo, California on Dec. 5, 2017. According to the suicide note found in her car, Ames was being bullied by male performers after she tweeted out that she would refuse to work with any male peformer who had also made gay pornography.
Multiple adult film stars have since come out in defense of Ames, most notobaly retired performer Jenna Jameson.
“Her blood is on their hands,” Jameson said in an interview with The Blast.
