Judge says no proof Dr. Dre threatened therapist, removes restraining order

In a legal battle that’s been brewing between music mogul Dr. Dre and his former therapist, Dr. Charles Sophy, a Los Angeles judge has ruled in Dre’s favor, dismissing a temporary restraining order initially granted to Sophy.

Dr. Sophy, a well-known child therapist, sought a permanent restraining order against Dr. Dre, citing fears for his safety after receiving what he described as “menacing” text messages from the rapper and producer. Sophy testified in court on Tuesday, saying that Dre’s texts, which included insults like “You’re a piece of s***,” were threatening and caused him to fear for his well-being. Sophy argued that Dre’s anger toward him stemmed from past marriage counseling sessions he conducted for Dre and his ex-wife Nicole before their high-profile divorce. Dre reportedly believes that Sophy’s involvement contributed to his children turning against him, an accusation Sophy denies.

Dre attended the hearing via Zoom, while Dr. Sophy was present in person. In his defense, Dre acknowledged sending the messages but argued they did not constitute credible threats of violence, maintaining they were simply expressions of frustration. Ultimately, the judge sided with Dre, ruling that the messages, though heated, did not meet the legal threshold for threats of violence and dismissed the restraining order, allowing Dre to resume contact if desired.

The decision terminates the restraining order, which had previously required Dre to maintain a distance of at least 100 yards from Sophy.

During the hearing, Sophy also addressed accusations that Dre had called him “racist.” Responding to the claim, Sophy, who has run a child welfare system for over 20 years working with children of all backgrounds, testified that his work is proof of his commitment to inclusivity.