Sexual Assault Lawsuits Continue to be Filed Against Celebrities Due to the Elimination of the Statute of Limitations

Actor and singer-songwriter Jamie Foxx was sued for alleged sexual assault in 2015, as well as Axl Rose of the American rock band “Guns N’ Roses” and rapper Sean Combs. In addition, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and others are being sued one after another for alleged sexual assaults in the past, including in the 1970s, when the statute of limitations had originally expired, and are being asked to pay damages.

 

Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx’s case is for alleged sexual assault against a woman at a New York restaurant in 2015, TMZ reported.

According to the complaint, it began in August of that year when the complainant, a woman and one of her friends, who were sitting at a table one table away from Foxx at a restaurant in New York City, asked Foxx to take a picture.

Foxx agreed to have his picture taken, but appeared to be drunk and told the woman:

“You have the body of a supermodel,”
“She smells so good.”

He then pulled her by the arm and brought her to a back area of the rooftop, where he reached under her top and squeezed her breasts, and then put his hand down the woman’s pants, the complainant alleged.

The woman sued Foxx and the restaurant for compensatory and punitive damages, alleging that she had to undergo medical treatment and suffered emotional distress due to Foxx’s sexual assault, abuse, battery, and violence.

 

She claims that several people, including a security guard, witnessed the assault at the restaurant and saw her attempt to flee from Foxx, but left without stopping her. A spokesperson for Foxx said,

“The alleged incident never happened.”

and denied all allegations. If the woman’s allegations are dismissed, she plans to file a countersuit, and the outcome of the trial is being closely watched.

And Axl Rose, frontman of the American rock band Guns N’ Roses, is being sued by a former model for damages for alleged sexual assault 34 years ago.

Former model Sheila Kennedy, now 61, filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court on November 22, claiming that she was violently attacked and anally raped by Rose in a Manhattan hotel room in February 1989. The New York Post (electronic edition) reported the case.

According to the complaint, Kennedy, who has been named “Pet of the Year” by Penthouse magazine, was invited to a club in New York with a friend who is a Guns N’ Roses fan, met Rose at the club, and then took her to the Central Park After meeting Rose at the club, they were taken to a hotel room in Central Park West where Rose was staying.

 

Rose allegedly tied Ms. Kennedy’s hands behind her back with pantyhose and raped her anus without her consent. 

“Rose treated her like a property to be used only for her own sexual pleasure.”

“It left her with lifelong emotional, physical, psychological, and financial consequences.”

Rose’s attorney said,

“Mr. Rose has never met or spoken with the plaintiff, and to this day has never heard of these fictitious allegations,” and denies all allegations.

In addition, Steven Tyler was accused of alleged sexual assault 48 years ago.

 

Jeanne Bellino filed the lawsuit on November 2, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by Tyler in New York City while working as a 17-year-old model in the summer of 1975, Page Six reported.

Tyler, who was 27, suddenly grabbed Ms. Bellino’s hand and shoved her into a phone booth, she said.

“He plunged his tongue down my throat,” and
“He touched my body, breasts, buttocks, and genitals, removed my clothes, and then pushed mr against the wall of the phone booth,” 

 

Last December, Tyler was hit with a sexual assault lawsuit by another woman alleging that she had sexual relations with Tyler when she was only 16 years old in 1973 and that he forced her to have an abortion. This is the second lawsuit she has filed.

Tyler denies her accusations and claims that the plaintiff consented to their sexual relationship, among other things.

How could he file a lawsuit here – a case that is 48 years old?

This is because the lawsuit was made possible by New York State’s Adult Survivors (ASA) Act, which allows victims of sex crimes for which the statute of limitations has passed to file a civil lawsuit.

“The ASA law is a New York State law enacted last May that amends state law to allow victims of sex crimes for whom the statute of limitations has expired to file civil lawsuits for one year from November 24, 2022, to November 24, 2023.”

In NYS, the statute of limitations for sex crimes is six years for felonies and two years for misdemeanors. By May 2023, approximately 130 civil lawsuits had been filed under this ASA.

In Japan, as in the case of the sexual assault of the late Johnny Kitagawa, it is said that there were many victims who could not speak out during his lifetime.

Considering these circumstances, Japan may consider enacting a law similar to the New York State ASA law and reviewing past sexual assaults in order to eradicate similar sexual assaults, regardless of gender.