Country music icon Garth Brooks faces a legal battle as he countersues his former hairstylist over sexual assault allegations.
At a Glance
- Garth Brooks is suing his accuser, claiming he’s the victim of a blackmail scheme
- The accuser, a former hairstylist, alleges Brooks raped her in 2019
- Brooks denies all allegations and seeks damages for emotional distress and defamation
- The legal process could take up to two years, according to Brooks
Brooks Files Countersuit, Claiming Extortion
Country music superstar Garth Brooks has found himself embroiled in a legal battle after being accused of sexual assault by his former hairstylist and makeup artist. In response to these allegations, Brooks has filed a lawsuit in Mississippi federal court, seeking a declaration that the accusations are false and demanding damages for emotional distress and defamation.
The lawsuit, filed on October 8 in the District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi Northern Division, claims that Brooks is the victim of a blackmail scheme. According to the complaint, the accuser threatened to publish false allegations unless Brooks paid her millions of dollars.
Garth Brooks Calls Rape Lawsuit a Extortion and Defamation | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/SraDVnaIaQ
— TMZ (@TMZ) October 4, 2024
Allegations and Counter-Allegations
The accuser, initially identified as Jane Roe, claims Brooks raped her in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2019 during a trip for a Grammy tribute to Sam Moore. She alleges that Brooks booked a hotel suite with one bedroom, exposed himself, and made her feel trapped. The woman also claims that Brooks frequently discussed sexual acts and sent explicit messages.
“We applaud our client’s courage in moving forward with her complaint against Garth Brooks,” the woman’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor told CBS. “The complaint filed today demonstrates that sexual predators exist not only in corporate America, Hollywood and in the rap and rock and roll industries but also in the world of country music. We are confident that Brooks will be held accountable for his actions and his efforts to silence our client through the filing of a preemptive complaint in Mississippi was nothing other than an act of desperation and attempted intimidation. We encourage others who may have been victimized to contact us as no survivor should suffer in silence.”
Brooks vehemently denies these allegations. In a statement, he said, “For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars. It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face.”
Legal Proceedings and Public Statements
The legal battle has taken several twists, with Brooks initially seeking to keep both parties’ identities anonymous. However, he claims the accuser’s attorney revealed his identity to CNN, making his pseudonym filing moot. As a result, Brooks has refiled the complaint using both his and the accuser’s real names.
“This thing is on, it’s gonna happen,” the singer said of the allegations and court battle. “People are telling me it could be up to two years,” Brooks added. “So my suggestion is, we all take a deep breath, just kinda settle in and let’s hold hands and take a trip together, because it is something that we cannot talk about. That’s all we can say about it.”
The country star has added high-profile lawyer Daniel Petrocelli to his legal team, signaling his intent to vigorously defend himself against these allegations. Brooks is seeking a declaratory judgment that the allegations are false and unspecified damages exceeding $75,000.
As this legal battle unfolds, fans and observers alike will be watching closely to see how it impacts Brooks’ career and legacy in the country music industry.
