A makeup artist has filed a lawsuit against Garth Brooks, claiming that the country music star raped her in a hotel room and subjected her to unwanted sexual advances, including lewd text messages and inappropriate touching.
The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Roe in the lawsuit, alleges that Brooks exposed himself to her on several occasions and that the traumatic experience of the rape led her to contemplate suicide. The lawsuit alleges that Brooks is attempting to shield his fanbase from the disturbing behavior he exhibited towards a junior female employee.
Roe’s lawsuit follows a preemptive action taken by Brooks last month in a federal court in Mississippi, where he claimed she threatened to damage his reputation unless he provided her with a substantial financial settlement. In his lawsuit, he is referred to anonymously as John Doe and brings forth allegations of attempted extortion, defamation, and emotional distress.
Brooks’s complaint asserts that the allegations made by Roe are unfounded and were made maliciously to extort money from him. He seeks an injunction to prevent her from continuing what he refers to as extortionate behavior, as well as compensatory damages.
The woman is represented by attorney Douglas Wigdor, known for filing multiple high-profile #MeToo cases. Wigdor, alongside his colleagues, expressed pride in Roe’s decision to pursue legal action against Brooks and emphasized the pervasive issue of sexual predators in various industries, including country music.
Roe states that she began working with Trisha Yearwood, Brooks’ wife, as a makeup artist in 1999 and later started working for Brooks in 2017, with increased frequency in 2019 due to financial struggles. The lawsuit details an incident at Brooks’ home, where he allegedly emerged from the shower naked and forced her to touch him. It claims that he violently raped her during a trip to Los Angeles for a Grammy tribute.
In the aftermath of the alleged assault, Roe claims that Brooks would frequently share sexual fantasies, send her explicit messages, and pressure her to expose herself for his gratification. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles state court under the state’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act.