Country Superstar Denies Allegations and Seeks Damages News.
As could be expected, country star Garth Brooks has formally identified the woman who filed a recent lawsuit accusing him of rape and sexual assault. Last week, the woman filed a bombshell lawsuit known previously as Jane Doe. In response, Brooks' legal team portrayed the singer as the "victim of a shakedown" as he seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
The Lawsuit: A Timeline of Events
It was an anonymously filed Mississippi federal court lawsuit that first brought attention to allegations against Brooks. A celebrity and public figure out of Tennessee said the woman's legal team sent him a letter in July threatening to file the lawsuit unless he agreed to pay a settlement reportedly in the millions of dollars. Brooks dismissed accusations as "false" and part of an extortion attempt.
State Lines Lawsuit
The woman's lawyers, however, said that they will still file a complaint in California against Brooks, even before the Mississippi court could rule on the case about the anonymity requested. The woman, whose identity remained confidential had filed the case in Los Angeles Superior Court and had sued Brooks as the perpetrator.
Among the claims are allegations that Brooks raped the woman in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2019 and subjected her to continuous unwanted sexual advances over two years. The hairstylist and makeup stylist had been working with Brooks' wife, Trisha Yearwood, since 1999 and had been working closely with Brooks since 2017.
Garth Brooks Denies the Allegations
As Brooks filed his first complaint in Mississippi, he centered his argument on the damages to his reputation as a result of the allegations. He also put out a public statement through which he boldly denied the allegations and insisted that he would not pay any "hush money." Brooks boldly said, "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 Seeks Damages for Defamation
The attorney for Brooks now files to hold the woman liable for compensatory and punitive damages along with an injunction to prevent her from making more revelations in public place which they say are false allegations. The case has brought much of that media attention, shad a dark cloud over the brilliant public image Brooks has kept intact for years.
Woman's Legal Team Reacts
Douglas H. Wigdor, the attorney for the woman, also expressed condemnation toward Brooks for reporting his accuser. Wigdor said he intends to pursue maximum penalties against Brooks, whom he claims outted his client out of spite. "Without legal justification, Brooks outed her because he thinks the laws don't apply to him," he said.
The Ongoing Court Fight
It is a legal case that caused quite a stir in the public domain, fueling debate about privacy and defamation and the complexity of such high-profile legal cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct. Brooks stresses that there is no truth in the allegations brought against him and continues to clear his name before his public audience with the assumption that justice will prevail in the law courts.