The suit will continue in Mississippi
A California judge has denied Garth Brooks’ motion to dismiss a sexual assault lawsuit that was filed against him in September. US District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald denied Brooks’ request without prejudice yesterday (Mon, Dec 16th) in a Los Angeles courtroom as the “original action” is still pending in Mississippi.
“The Motion is denied without prejudice. The action is stayed pending the outcome of the pending motions in Doe v. Roe, No. 3:24-cv-547-HTW-LGI (S.D. Miss.),” the ruling reads. “Plaintiff’s Application for Leave to Submit Documents for In Camera Review (Docket No. 26) is denied as moot because the Court does not deem it necessary to review the documents prior to issuing its ruling.”
A court date scheduled for next week was vacated due to the ruling. The suit also states Brooks must inform the California court of any rulings in the Mississippi action within ten court days.
In September, a makeup and hair artist identified as Jane Roe, filed a 27-page suit in Los Angeles, accusing Brooks of assault, battery, sexual battery, Bane Act, Ralph Act, and Gender Violence when she was employed by the singer in 2019. Several incidents were described by the plaintiff, including when Brooks and Roe were the only passengers on his private jet from Nashville to LA. The document also accuses Brooks of subjecting the plaintiff to other “appalling sexual conduct” while detailing phone conversations and text exchanges Brooks is accused of sharing with Roe.
Brooks responded to the allegations, stating he was threatened with a demand letter in July that he had to pay for the allegations or face a suit.
“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,” Brooks says. “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. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”
In her complaint, Jane Doe says she began working with Brooks’ wife Trisha Yearwood in 1999 and then with Brooks in 2017.
