Country music icon Garth Brooks has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and battery in a lawsuit filed in California state court.
The accuser, identified as “Jane Roe,” worked as a hairstylist and makeup artist for Brooks between 2017 and 2020, during which she alleges he raped her and repeatedly groped her, making sexually explicit remarks, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit details an alleged incident from May 2019, when Brooks invited Jane Roe to travel with him on his private jet to a Grammy tribute in Los Angeles.
Upon arrival at the hotel, Brooks had only reserved a single suite with one bedroom for them both, the lawsuit claims. It further alleges that once inside, Brooks appeared naked at the doorway before raping her.
Following the alleged assault, the lawsuit claims Brooks continued to make sexual advances on other occasions, forcing her to touch him inappropriately and sharing sexual fantasies.
The lawsuit also accuses Brooks of proposing a threesome involving his wife, country star Trisha Yearwood. The BBC reached out to Yearwood for comment but received no response.
In a statement to the BBC, Brooks dismissed the allegations as “extortion and defamation,” claiming that for the past two months, he had been subjected to “threats, lies, and tragic tales” with demands for millions of dollars.
He likened the situation to “having a loaded gun waved in [his] face,” saying, “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of—ugly acts no human should ever do to another.”
Brooks expressed his frustration over the accusations, stating, “It breaks my heart these wonderful things are in question now. I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”
The litigation initially began three weeks ago when Brooks, described as “a celebrity and public figure who resides in Tennessee,” filed an anonymous lawsuit in Mississippi federal court.
In that preemptive legal action, he denied the accusations, calling them “revulsive and untrue,” and claimed Jane Roe had made the allegations after he declined her request for salaried employment and medical benefits.
Brooks’s lawsuit contended that the accusations were a threat designed to cause “substantial, irreparable damage” to his reputation, family, and career.
On Thursday, Jane Roe’s attorneys filed a 27-page legal action in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing Brooks of sexual assault, battery, and other inappropriate conduct, including exposing himself and sending inappropriate text messages.
Garth Brooks, a two-time Grammy winner with over 162 million album sales, is a major figure in both country music and popular culture.
Known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in supporting children’s causes and disaster relief, Brooks is worth an estimated $400 million (£305 million), according to the lawsuit.
Source-BBC
