LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman, who wishes to remain anonymous and is referred to as Jane Roe in her legal filing, has accused country music star Garth Brooks of raping her in a hotel during a trip to Los Angeles in 2019. The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The plaintiff claims to have been employed as a hair-and-makeup stylist for Brooks’ wife, country singer Trisha Yearwood, since 1999 and began working with Brooks himself in 2017. The alleged assault occurred during a trip to Los Angeles when Brooks was scheduled to perform alongside soul singer Sam Moore at a Grammy Awards tribute.
According to court documents, the woman traveled with Brooks on his private jet, where they were alone. The lawsuit alleges that upon arriving at their hotel, Brooks appeared naked in the doorway of their suite and attacked her.
After the incident, the suit claims that Brooks acted as if nothing had occurred, expecting her to immediately assist him with his hair and makeup. The woman further contends that this was not the only time Brooks behaved inappropriately; she alleges he previously exposed himself to her at his home in 2019 and insisted on touching her inappropriately.
In response to the lawsuit, Brooks has vehemently denied the allegations, describing them as “wholly untrue.” He stated that he filed a preemptive lawsuit in federal court in Mississippi the previous month, seeking to protect his reputation against what he described as threats and false claims made by the woman. His legal filing also sought to stop her from inflicting emotional distress, defamation, and invading his privacy. In his statement, Brooks remarked, “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.” He compared the pressure he faced to having “a loaded gun waved in my face.”
Brooks expressed confidence in the legal system, stating, “I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.” He chose to remain anonymous in his lawsuit “for the sake of families on both sides.”
Furthermore, the woman in her lawsuit asserts that Brooks had repeatedly exposed himself to her, discussed sexual fantasies, and sent her explicit messages via text, all of which contributed to a hostile work environment. She claims that her financial hardships made it difficult for her to leave Brooks’ employment, a situation he was allegedly aware of and exploited.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the woman has reported her accusations to law enforcement. An email sent to her attorney seeking clarification on this matter has not yet received a response. Brooks, 62, who rose to prominence as the biggest star in country music during the 1990s with hits like “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls,” is known for integrating arena-rock elements into his concerts and appealing to a broad, mainstream audience. He has been married to Yearwood since 2005, though there has been no immediate comment from her representatives regarding the ongoing lawsuit.
