Country Music Star Faces Assault Charges

On Thursday, October 3, 2024, country music star Garth Brooks was accused of rape and sexual assault in a lawsuit. The complaint was filed by an unnamed woman, going by the title of “Jane Doe,” and was his makeup artist. She says that she was harassed by Brooks during the time that she worked with him, naming multiple incidents where he took advantage of her position as his employee to expose himself to her, send her sexually explicit text messages, grope her and, in another instance, Brooks allegedly raped her in a Los Angeles hotel suite. The defendant is suing the musician for sexual battery and assault and is requesting monetary and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and a jury trial [1].

Jane Doe is filing her complaint under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act [2]. In this act, sexual abuse victims have an opportunity to seek justice in California. Victims can now revive their assault and abuse claims from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2026. The revived cases are officially eligible to be brought in civil court, provided that those sexual assault claims were barred solely because of the expiration of the statute of limitations.

This comes after Garth Brooks already filed a federal lawsuit against the woman last month, claiming that she is lying and trying to extort him for money and defamation of his character. According to Brooks, she sent him a letter demanding to go public with the allegations and sue him if he didn’t pay her millions of dollars [3].

This lawsuit is highly unusual, considering the fact that the case began with anonymity. Brooks began by urging the federal courts in Mississippi to declare the allegations false and stop the accuser, the makeup artist, from them in the first place. This could be due to the wish to remain anonymous in the face of these accusations. This lawsuit occurred in mid-September before the accuser’s case was filed. 

This case remains ongoing, with both sides suing for monetary and emotional compensation. The consequences of this lawsuit are substantial, particularly given Brooks' standing as a prominent public figure. Known for his image as a beloved American icon, the allegations could profoundly impact his career and public perception. With both sides entrenched in their positions, the legal proceedings are set to unfold in a highly public and contentious arena. As the case progresses, it will likely garner significant attention and raise important discussions about power dynamics, workplace misconduct, and accountability in the entertainment industry.

Sources:

1. Carson Blackwelder, ‘Garth Brooks responds to claims he raped, sexually assaulted former makeup artist’ ABC News (2024), https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/garth-brooks-accused-sexual-assault-battery-former-makeup/story?id=114482907 (last visited Oct 17, 2024). 
2. Assembly Bill 2777, 2021-2022 Leg., Reg. Sess. (Cal. 2022)
3.  Pam Dankins, Garth Brooks names his rape accuser in Mississippi lawsuit. Says he's 'victim of shakedown’ (2024), https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2024/10/10/garth-brooks-identifies-sexual-assault-accuser-in-mississippi-lawsuit/75611321007/ (last visited Oct 17, 2024).