Earlier this month, a woman known only as Jane Roe filed a lawsuit against country star Garth Brooks accusing him of rape and sexual assault. The suit came after Brooks filed suit against her in September accusing her of attempting to defame his character after she sent him a letter accusing him of raping her and trying to end her life. Recently, Brooks made a veiled statement signaling that he is ready for a drawn-out legal battle.
On Monday (October 7), Brooks addressed the situation in an episode of Inside Studio G. “Lots happened in the last two weeks,” Brooks said. “Let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we? This thing is on. It’s gonna happen,” he added. “People are telling me it could be up to two years. 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’s something that we can’t talk about. That’s all we can say about it. … So for those who joined us tonight to hear about that, I bid you a wonderful rest of your night ‘cause that’s the last we can say about it,” he concluded before changing the subject.
[RELATED: Garth Brooks Responds to Sexual Assault and Rape Allegations: “I Am Not the Man They Have Painted Me to Be”]
More on the Garth Brooks Allegations
Garth Brooks filed a lawsuit against the unnamed woman in a federal court in Mississippi on September 13. The suit claimed that “Jane Roe” was attempting to defame his character. It further states that she sent him a letter in July stating that he sexually assaulted her and was trying to kill her. Brooks stated that she threatened to go public unless he paid a multi-million-dollar sum.
“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 said in a statement. “It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face,” he added. “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,” he continued. “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.”
Roe, a former employee of Brooks and Trisha Yearwood filed a lawsuit against Brooks on October 4. Her lawsuit alleges that the country star repeatedly harassed her throughout their working relationship and raped her in 2019.
The suit states that she started doing Yearwood’s hair and makeup in 1999 and began working with Brooks in 2017. She experienced financial hardship in 2019 and Brooks offered her work. She alleges that he took advantage of her situation and raped her after hiring her.
The suit further alleges that Brooks exposed himself to her, sent her explicit text messages, groped her while she did his hair and makeup, and talked openly about his sexual fantasies with her. Additionally, the suit claims that Brooks erased all of the inappropriate messages from her phone.
Brooks has requested a trial and is seeking punitive and monetary damages as well as attorney fees.
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