A sexual assault lawsuit against the estate of the late First Nations artist Norval Morrisseau (1932-2007) has been dismissed. The plaintiff, Mark Anthony Jacobson, had sought C$5 million in damages, alleging Morrisseau assaulted him in 2006. The dismissal was signed by Jacobson and the estate's lawyer, Jason Gratl, and filed in the BC Supreme Court on 6 January. The estate argued Morrisseau was physically incapacitated by advanced Parkinson's disease at the time, and Gratl stated that after cross-examination, Jacobson's lawyer withdrew and Jacobson consented to the dismissal without payment.
The dismissal matters because it protects the legacy of Norval Morrisseau, a foundational figure in Indigenous art and founder of the Woodlands School of Art, from what the estate describes as an attempt to diminish his importance. The case also intersects with ongoing efforts to combat fraud surrounding Morrisseau's work, including a major forgery ring that has resulted in criminal convictions. The resolution allows the estate to continue focusing on defending Morrisseau's artistic and cultural legacy.