Garth Brooks lawsuit: Country star accused of sexually assaulting former hair and makeup artist
Garth Brooks, a prominent figure in country music, is facing allegations of sexual assault and battery from a former hair and makeup artist who claims he raped her in a hotel room in Los Angeles back in 2019.
The lawsuit was filed by an individual identified as Jane Roe in a California court on Thursday, as reported by YSL News. It claims that Brooks, 62, “exploited an opportunity to expose a darker side of himself that he keeps hidden from his fans. This side believes he has the right to sexual pleasure whenever he desires, and using a female employee to fulfill this is acceptable.”
Before Roe’s filing, CNN had reported that Brooks, anonymously referred to as a celebrity plaintiff, attempted to prevent her from publicly sharing her allegations while denying the charges of assault, battery, sexual battery, and rape.
The recent lawsuit comes after Brooks made an effort to suppress these sexual assault allegations through a lawsuit he submitted on September 13 in a federal court in Mississippi, coinciding with his announcement about the conclusion of his Las Vegas residency.
In his prior court filing, Brooks claimed that the allegations would cause “irreparable harm to Plaintiff’s reputation, family, career and livelihood.” He has been married to fellow Grammy Award-winning artist Trisha Yearwood since 2005.
YSL News has reached out to representatives for both Brooks and Yearwood for comments.
In a statement to YSL News, Roe’s legal team praised her determination to come forward with her claims against Brooks.
“Today’s complaint highlights that sexual predators are present not only in corporate America, Hollywood, and the rap and rock music genres, but also within country music,” said attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor, Jeanne M. Christensen, and Hayley Baker. “We believe that Brooks will face consequences for his actions, and his attempt to intimidate our client via a preemptive lawsuit in Mississippi is simply a desperate move. We urge others who may have suffered similar abuse to reach out to us as no victim should endure their silence.”
Former employee alleges pattern of sexual abuse starting in 2019
The lawsuit asserts that the unnamed makeup artist, Jane Roe, began her career with Brooks in 1999 as a hairstylist and makeup artist for his wife, Trisha Yearwood. Over the years, she worked for Yearwood and various other celebrities.
In 2017, Roe began styling hair and makeup for Brooks, with the alleged abuse starting two years later.
According to the suit, during a visit to Brooks’ home for a styling session, Roe was horrified when Brooks emerged from the shower, nude, with an erection, and directed her to touch him inappropriately.
In his actions, Brooks allegedly expressed his perverse fantasies about wanting Roe to perform oral sex on him while wearing her glasses, according to the lawsuit.
Another alleged incident of sexual assault took place in May 2019 when Roe and Brooks traveled to Los Angeles to attend a tribute to R&B singer Sam Moore. The suit indicates they were the only passengers on his private jet, and Brooks secured a single-bedroom hotel suite that lacked separate accommodations for Roe.
Once again, Brooks reportedly made unwanted sexual advances by appearing “in the doorway to the bedroom, completely naked.” Roe described feeling ill and trapped, as she was alone with Brooks far from Nashville.
The lawsuit portrays a disturbing scene where Roe felt her worst fears were confirmed as Brooks physically dominated her.
The filing states, “She was powerless to free herself from his hold and was terrified of what was occurring. He held her upside down, which made her dizzy and sick, and while he assaulted her, he made lewd comments about his sexual abilities.”
Following the alleged rape, the lawsuit claims Brooks showed “cold indifference” toward Roe as she continued her work for him during the Grammy event.
Additionally, Brooks is accused of discussing sexual acts, sending explicit text messages, and suggesting threesomes involving Yearwood and Roe.
Garth Brooks announces conclusion of Las Vegas residency ahead of lawsuit
After an impressive career selling over 150 million albums, performing in sold-out venues for decades, and receiving numerous prestigious awards including the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and the Kennedy Center Honors, Brooks announced the end of his Las Vegas shows.
In a recent interview with YSL News, Brooks expressed his passion for performing, stating, “If there was a guy who said I’ll do this the rest of my life, it would be me. I’m really going to miss it. The audience is fantastic. I can create an amazing atmosphere, but the rule about putting phones away during the shows has transformed the experience. Every performance feels like a surprise for the fans. It’s been incredible, and I’ll be sad to see it come to an end.”
‘I’ve seen her before’: Garth Brooks speaks fondly of his wife Trisha Yearwood during her interview with Kelly Clarkson
Looking ahead to 2025, Brooks mentioned that his role will shift to being “the plus one.” He stated, “My wife is kind enough to support me, and it’s time for me to return that favor. We need to hear her perform more than just a couple of songs a night. I’ve even offered to help her from backstage in any way she needs.”
The final performances of his residency are scheduled for February 21-23, February 28, and March 1-2 and 7-9.
