‘Black Lightning’ EP Salim Akil Sued For Domestic Abuse, Copyright Infringement By Alleged Ex-Lover

Black Lightning executive producer Salim Akil has been accused of repeated “non-consensual assault and battery” by a woman who says she was the married man’s lover for over a decade.

As well as an extremely detailed and specific complaint for domestic violence and breach of contract filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on November 20, actor Amber Dixon Brenner is also suing Akil and others for copyright infringement in federal court.

“These acts caused significant physical and emotional harm to the Plaintiff and were abusive; i.e., Akil intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily injury, or placing Plaintiff in reasonable apprehension of bodily injury,” states the jury seeking LASC filing, which lists a series of location from Atlanta to Martha’s Vineyard, LA’s Roosevelt Hotel and more where the alleged extremely violent incidents occurred.

“The acts of Defendant Akil were undertaken and performed by Defendant Akil willfully, maliciously, and with an intent to oppress Plaintiff and by reason thereof, Plaintiff is entitled to an award of punitive damages in an amount to be proven at trial,” the often harrowing two-claim complaint adds (read it here).

Brenner says in the filing that she and Akil ended their relationship last year.

Neither reps for Akil nor  Black Lightning broadcaster the CW and producer WBTV responded to Deadline’s request for comment on the domestic violence claims.

At the same time, in the state court documents and in a federal filing of October 22 (read it here) the Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps actors also says Akil stole a 2016 screenplay of her’s for what became the June 19 debuting Love Is series on OWN.

With the Akils plus OWN as defendants, that federal case before Judge Philip S. Gutierrez saw an extension on November 27 of the time the parties would have to responded to the claims. The defendants now have until December 28, 2018 to file there own paperwork.

OWN ordered Love Is to series in July 2017 after it didn’t go forward at ABC, and it marked the latest high-profile project from Akil and his wife Mara Brock Akil, the latter of which created Girlfriends, The Game and Being Mary Jane. The Akils, whose production company, Akil Productions, has a big overall deal at Warner Bros TV, have between them written, produced and/or directed more than 350 episodes of primetime TV.

As a part of that pact, the pair are also currently both EPs on Black Lightning, on which Salim is the showrunner. It is currently in the midst of airing its second season.